1. Pieter Laubscher 14 November 2005
Business Surveys in South Africa: testing the ground for Internet-based surveys keeping the impact on response rates in mind
Pieter Laubscher
14 November 2005
Joint EC-OECD Workshop on International Development of Business and Consumer Tendency Surveys

2. Presentation outline Introduction The BER panel of respondents
Sectors
Size groups
Regions
The special BER survey: background details
Question1: the current mode of response
Question2: the preferred mode of response
Question3: access to the Internet
Conclusions

3. Introduction The Internet medium & BTS / CTS
Obvious advantages: cost & efficiency
Constraints: user “resistance” & access
Improving response rates?
The postal response mode: BER since the 1950s
Engaging the Internet medium: a special BER survey (2005Q1):
The current mode of response
The preferred mode of response
Access to the Internet
What conclusions can we draw regarding the future development of Internet-based surveys at the BER?

4. The BER panel of respondents

5. Composition of the BER panel (2005Q1): sectors
Manufacturing
Retail
Building & construction
Food 90
Retail: durable goods
150
Architects
128
Beverages 30
Retail: semi-durable goods
139
Building contractors (incl. sub)
435
Textiles 47
Retail: non-durable goods
229
Quantiry surveyors
180
Clothing 59
TOTAL:
518
Civil engineers 96
Footwear 13
839
Wood products 38
Motor trade
Furniture 45
New & used vehicles
179
Paper 52
Printing & publishing 37
Leather products 8
Whole sale
Rubber 20
Wholesale: consumer goods
140
Chemicals 91
Wholesale: non-consumer goods
169
Non-metal minerals
309
Basic metals 64
Metal products 81
Machinery 77
Electrical machinery
Transport 78
Plastics 72
GRAND TOTAL:
2902
TOTAL
1057

6. Size & sectoral distribution of BER respondents (2005Q1)
Sectors
Number %
Size groups
Manufacturing
383
38.1
Small
414
46.0
Retail
198
19.7
Medium
318
35.3
Motor trade 79
7.9
Large
168
18.7
Wholesale
125
12.5
Building & construction
219
21.8
TOTAL:
1004
100
900

7. Regional distribution of BER respondents (2005Q1)
Number %
Gauteng
352
35.1
Western Cape
230
22.9
KwaZulu-Natal
211
21.0
Eastern Cape
110
11.0
Free State 35
3.5
Other provinces 34
3.4
Northern Cape 32
3.2
TOTAL:
1004
100

8. The special survey: background details

9. Special questions included in the BER survey (2005Q1)
Special survey on preferred response method
(Optional)
Reason for the special survey
The BER depends on you to complete and return the questionnaires in order to conduct the business surveys. With this survey, we wish to find what response method you prefer.
Please tick the appropriate boxes.
1. At present, how do you return the questionnaire to us?
⌂ Pre-paid envelope
⌂ Fax ⌂
2. In future, how would you prefer to respond to the questionnaire?
⌂ Internet
3. How do you connect to the internet at work?
⌂ No access to the internet at work
⌂ Via a dial-up service
⌂ Via a local area network (LAN)
4. Any comments? ………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………….

10. Question 1: How do BER participants currently respond?

11. Current mode of response: sectors

12. Current mode of response: size groups

13. Current mode of response: regions

14. Question 2: What is the preferred mode of response according to BER participants?

15. Preferred mode of response: sectors

16. Preferring Internet as mode of response: sectors

17. Preferred mode of response: size groups

18. Preferred mode of response: regions

19. Question 3: BER participants’ access to the Internet

20. BER participants’ access to the Internet: sectors

21. BER participants’ access to the Internet: firm size groups

22. BER participants’ access to the Internet: firm size groups

23. Conclusions
Close to 30% of BER respondents prefer Internet mode (92% currently use postal mode)
Necessary to develop Internet mode; however, there are pitfalls:
80% have Internet access, only 28% prefer this mode
Smaller firms face access constraints/ have lower preference for the Internet
Regional / sectoral disparities regarding Internet preference
Imperative to have a mixed survey mode
Gradual transition from postal to Internet/ long process
Relatively small preference for the fax mode
A too aggressive move to the Internet risks damaging response rates
Consistent with international experience
Lower response rates with Internet mode compared to postal mode
Item non-response higher?
Small firms - lower Internet preference / weaker response rate
Different response behaviour: Internet vs. postal?
BER has to be careful regarding development of the Internet mode
Response rates already low by international standards
Additional costs / administrative burden

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