An exploration of a respondent pre-qualifying framework to increase response rates in social media initiated online surveys. Issue 3 (August 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Basa-Martinez, Diana Denise F.; Cabrera, Janet Y.; Dionaldo, LA G.; Orillo, Jonathan Gavino R.; Ramos, Paul John M.; Ocampo, Lanndon A.
• Is Part Of: Australasian marketing journal. Volume 26:Issue 3(2018)
• Page Start: 239
• Page End: 261
• Publication Date: 2018-08
• Subjects: Unit non-response -- Web-based surveys -- Facebook -- Prequalifying checklist -- Respondents; Marketing -- Australasia -- Periodicals; Marketing -- Periodicals; 658.8480905
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ausmj.2018.04.001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1441-3582

Abstract

Highlights: A respondent prequalifying framework is proposed to increase survey response rates. It is for social media initiated surveys with non-probabilistic sampling platform. The proposed framework is successful in decreasing survey non-response rates. Assigning score weights to each factor in the framework is crucial to its effectiveness. The framework improves non-response costs and enhances survey efficiency. Abstract: The use of web-based surveys is currently increasing due to its cost-effectiveness and agility as it provides access to market researchers to web-connected populations who are unlikely to answer through traditional survey methods. However, survey response rates in market research are in general decline and among survey platforms, web-based surveys have the highest rates of non-response. Thus, there is a need to address the declining response rates for web-based surveys particularly unit response rates – the likelihood the respondent would answer the survey. This paper proposes a respondent prequalifying framework that reduces unit non-response rates of web-based non-probabilistic surveys. A checklist of respondent characteristics influencing the likelihood of unit non-response was developed. The framework was then adopted for its applicability by replicating the recruitment phase of two case studies wherein the prequalifying checklist was applied with consideration to the respondent profile requirements of each study. While this paper does not intend to provide robust empirical evidence to the proposed framework, it demonstrates a promising framework that can be used to increase unit non-response rate by comprehensively integrating the pre-qualifying factors in the domain literature and carefully developing such framework to the most plausible direction a web-survey can be implemented. Findings suggest that (1) the proposed respondent prequalifying framework increases the unit response by prequalifying the sample in the recruitment stage, and (2) increasing the threshold value may increase unit response rates with careful consideration to some significant issues such as the weights assigned to the prequalifying factors, the quality of the background information of the respondents in relation to the prequalifying factors, and the sensitivity of the survey topic. The proposed framework is developed with strong theoretical grounding and detailed discussion for its practical use is also provided. The framework benefits market researchers by reducing unit non-response costs and increasing efficiency in social media-based market surveys. Chinese Abstract: 由于其成本效益和敏捷性, 网络调查正得到越来越多的运用. 然而, 市场研究中的调查回应率普遍下降, 而调查平台上的网络调查不回应率最高. 本文提出了一个受访者资格预审框架, 该框架降低了网络非概率性调查的单位不回应率. 制定了一份检查清单列出影响单位不回应之可能性的受访者特征. 然后对该框架进行了两项案例研究测试, 其中资格预审检查清单的应用考虑了每项研究的受访者个人资料要求. 本论文论证了一个前景广阔的框架, 通过对本领域文献中的资格预审因素进行综合性整合, 并对该框架进行仔细开发从而达到可以开展网络调查的最合理方向, 该框架就可以被用于提高单位不回应率. 拟定框架的开发具有强大的理论基础, 并且对其实际应用进行了详细的论述.