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Activity Number:
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172
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Type:
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Contributed
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Date/Time:
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Monday, August 4, 2003 : 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
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Sponsor:
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Section on Survey Research Methods
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| Abstract - #300968 |
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Title:
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Optimizing Establishment Response with Tailored Design: A Randomized Trial of Token Incentives and Priority Mail in a Nationwide Survey of Meat Manufacturers
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Author(s):
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Danna Moore*+ and Mike Ollinger and John Tarnai
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Companies:
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Social & Economic Science Research Center and USDA and Social & Economic Science Research Center
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Address:
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PO Box 644014, Pullman, WA, 99164-4014,
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Keywords:
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establishment surveys ; incentives ; priority mail ; mail surveys ; tailored design
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Abstract:
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This paper demonstrates the outcomes of using tailored design in a USDA nationwide mail survey of meat manufacturers. The objective is to assess whether incentives increase response (i.e., decreasing unit nonresponse) in establishment surveys and to determine whether response quality (i.e., increasing item nonresponse) changes. This study experimentally tests priority postage versus first class mail, use of token incentive, and timing of incentive. This study evaluates whether reaching the named plant quality control manager is affected by use of a $5 incentive and whether it changes completion rate and quality of data for difficult questions. The decision to participate in a survey is not well understood for respondents located within an inner operational area of an establishment. While incentives have been shown to increase response rates in all survey modes, they have not been well tested for establishment surveys across population types and industries and across survey modes. Results show significant differences in response (22.5% vs. 69.8%) between treatment protocols.
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