Exploring Topic Sensitivity and Managers’ Likelihood to Participate in Internet Surveys: A Research Note

This study explores the relationship between sensitivity and topic importance to a manager and the likelihood of participation in an Internet-based survey on such topics. An Internet-based survey of business managers in Italy was conducted to measure sensitivity of 12 typical survey topics, the personal importance of each topic to a manager, and the manager’s likelihood of participation in a survey of each of a subset of five topics from the total. Findings suggest that managers are most likely to participate in surveys about topics that are personally important to them, even when such topics are perceived as being sensitive

Exploring Slider vs. Categorical Response Formats in Web-Based Surveys

Web-based surveys have become a common mode of data collection for researchers in many fields, but there are many methodological questions that need to be answered. This article examines one such question—do the use of sliders to express numerical amounts and the use of the more traditional radio-button scales give the same, or different, measurements? First, we review the central debates surrounding the use of slider scales, including advantages and disadvantages. Second, we report findings from a controlled simple randomized design field experiment using a sample of business managers in Italy to compare the two response formats. Measures of topic sensitivity, topic interest, and likelihood of participation were obtained. No statistically significant differences were found between the response formats. The article concludes with suggestions for researchers who wish to use slider scales as a measurement device

Time is on My Side—or Is It? Assessing How Perceived Control of Time and Procrastination Influence Emotional Exhaustion on the Job

The job demands–control model (JDC) postulates that an increased control over work resources mitigates or “buffers” the positive association between job stressors and strainers. However, the inconclusive validation of the buffering hypothesis across multiple studies suggests the need for fresh approaches, both conceptual and methodological. We integrated aspects of the JDC framework and time management process models to construct a model that tested both the direct and indirect effects of the perceived control of time (PCT) on emotional exhaustion arising from workload demands. Furthermore, we tested whether procrastination tendencies moderated the benefits of PCT on work stressors and strains. Data were collected in an Internet survey with 356 US adult office workers obtained from Prolific. The results supported the buffering effect of PCT on emotional exhaustion. PCT both mediated and exerted direct effects on the relationship between workload and emotional exhaustion. Procrastination tendencies moderated PCT and, in turn, undermined high PCT ability to reduce emotional exhaustion. Overall, the findings suggested that giving workers more control over their time may reduce stress associated with demanding workloads. However, chronic procrastinators may benefit less from having more control over time resources if they are not provided with tools to help them self-regulate more effectively

Designing web surveys in marketing research: does use of forced answering affect completion rates?

Web surveys are widely used in marketing research. One feature of such surveys is the use of forced answering, which requires respondents to enter an appropriate response before they are allowed to proceed to the next survey question. However, some survey researchers warn that forced answering should not be used as it could increase nonresponse error. These researchers suggest one way around this is to provide a prefer not to answer (PNA) option, which, if used, would allow respondents to continue without providing a substantive response to each question. This study examines the effects of using forced answering and prefer not to answer in Web surveys from a field experiment conducted with a general U.S. population. The topics studied are generally perceived to be relatively safe or innocuous. We find no evidence to support that forced answering lowers completion rates, whether or not PNA is used. Findings suggest that use of PNA evokes trade-offs between quantity versus quality of information

Designing Web Surveys in Marketing Research: Does Use of Forced Answering Affect Completion Rates?

Web surveys are widely used in marketing research. One feature of such surveys is the use of forced answering, which requires respondents to enter an appropriate response before they are allowed to proceed to the next survey question. However, some survey researchers warn that forced answering should not be used as it could increase nonresponse error. These researchers suggest one way around this is to provide a prefer not to answer (PNA) option, which, if used, would allow respondents to continue without providing a substantive response to each question. This study examines the effects of using forced answering and prefer not to answer in Web surveys from a field experiment conducted with a general U.S. population. The topics studied are generally perceived to be relatively safe or innocuous. We find no evidence to support that forced answering lowers completion rates, whether or not PNA is used. Findings suggest that use of PNA evokes trade-offs between quantity versus quality of information