Establishment Survey Response Process in Administrative Sciences

2. Considering the Establishment Survey Response Process in the Context of the Administrative Sciences Diane K. Willimack U.S. Census Bureau

3. Survey Methodology draws upon multiple disciplines – • Statistics/sampling • Psychology • Sociology • Economics • Political science • Computer science • Human-computer interaction

4. Examples • Cognitive response model draws upon Cognitive Psychology • Survey participation decision models draw upon Social Psychology • Web survey design draws upon Software Development & Human-Computer Interaction

5. Establishment survey methodology draws upon Household Survey Research

6. The establishment survey response process is viewed as WORK.

7. Hybrid Response Model(Sudman et al., 2000 ICES-2) • Encoding in memory / record formation • Selection/identification of respondent(s) • Assessment of priorities • Comprehension of data request • Retrieval from memory and/or records • Judgment of adequacy of response • Communication • Release of data

8. Hybrid Response Model(Sudman et al., 2000 ICES-2) • Encoding in memory / record formation • Selection/identification of respondent(s) • Assessment of priorities • Comprehension of data request • Retrieval from memory and/or records • Judgment of adequacy of response • Communication • Release of data

9. Disciplines relevant for surveys of businesses and organizations – • Organizational behavior • Managerial science • Administrative science • Behavior of people in organizations

10. Hybrid Response Model(Sudman et al., 2000 ICES-2) • Encoding in memory / record formation • Selection/identification of respondent(s) • Assessment of priorities • Comprehension of data request • Retrieval from memory and/or records • Judgment of adequacy of response • Communication • Release of data

11. Social Behavior Attributes of Organization • Structure • Differentiation of functions • (De)centralization • Authority hierarchies • Coordination • Effectiveness Organizational Goals • Produce goods & services • Maintain viability over time People

12. Dimensions of Social Behaviorin Organizations • Authority • Responsibility • Accountability • Influence • Allegiance / Loyalty

13. Social Behavior + Role-taking = Work Role-taking – the manifestation of social behavior among persons in organizations for the purpose of accomplishing work. • Coordination • Communication • Interpersonal interaction • Cooperation

14. Role Receiver: “Focal Person” Role Sender Sent Role Role Behavior Role Episode Expectations Received Role

15. Personal attributes of ‘LDP’ Organi- zational factors that convey to R Request for Information Sent Role: Data specs Influence Role Behavior: Compliance Interpersonal factors associated with ‘LDP’ Role Episode: Responding to a Survey Focal Person Role Sender “Local Data Provider” (LDP) Respondent (R) Expectations: Compliance Received Role: Interprets R’s request

16. Personal attributes of ‘LDP’ Role Sender Supervisor Expectations: Compliance Sent Role: Assignment Authority Role Behavior: Compliance Interpersonal factors associated with ‘LDP’ Role Episode between LDP and Supervisor Focal Person Organi- zational factors that convey to the Super- visor “Local Data Provider” (LDP) Received Role: Assigned work Performance criteria

17. Role Conflict • Role episodes between: • R and LDP • LDP and Supervisor

18. Role Episodes: A Framework for Evaluating Response Process • “Draw” the role episode diagram for people involved in providing survey data • Account for multiple roles of each player • Study, understand, analyze interactions between people in the organization

19. Role Episodes: A Framework for Evaluating Response Process continued • Use as a tool • Diagnose potential problems and breakdowns • Suggest strategies that facilitate response process • Avoid strategies that hinder organizational processes

20. Census BureauExample

21. Developing Data Collection Software for the U.S. Economic Census • Detailed establishment-level data • “Task analysis” with business respondents • “How do respondents go about pulling together all this data?”

22. Developing Data Collection Software for the U.S. Economic Census continued • Pervasive use of spreadsheets • Means of communication • Organizational norm for exchanging data • Some Rs lacked response “capacity” – e.g., knowledge of specific data items • Unable to “assign” items to LDPs • R  LDP: sent role relied on differentiation of expertise

23. Developing Data Collection Software for the U.S. Economic Census continued • Re-engineered software • Versatile spreadsheet functionality • Supported organizational context for R’s and LDP’s roles

24. Conclusions

25. Survey organizations… • Are members of businesses’ external environment • Have indirect / disjoint relationship with businesses • Cannot manage the response process

26. Models of Social Behavior in Organizations • Framework for studying organizational context for survey response process • Address research questions • Who is the “right” respondent? • Interplay between Authority and Responsibility / Capacity • How to facilitate reporting from multiple data sources? • Respondents, “Local Data Providers,” and Role Episodes • What are effects of alternative data collection strategies on data quality?

27. Future Research • Other theories / models of social behavior in organizations • Management • Influence • Authority • Do this approach add value? • How can it be applied?