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Chapter 9

Administering
Questionnaires

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LEARNING OBJECTIVES TYPES OF QUESTIONNAIRES

▪ Compare and contrast different types of

questionnaires.
▪ Design questionnaires to tap different variables.
▪ Discuss the issues related to cross-cultural research.
▪ Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of various
data collection methods in survey research.
▪ Discuss the advantages of multisources and
multimethods of data collection.
▪ Demonstrate awareness of the role of the manager in
primary data collection.
▪ Demonstrate awareness of the role of ethics in
primary data collection.
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Discussion Personally administered questionnaires

▪ Compare advantage and disadvantages of ▪ Advantages:

three types of questionnaire ( personally ▪ Can establish rapport and motivate respondent.
administered, mails, electronic and online)? ▪ Doubts can be clarified.
▪ Less expensive when administered to groups of
respondents.
▪ Almost 100% response rate ensured.
▪ Anonymity of respondent is high.
▪ Disadvantages:
▪ Explanations may introduce a bias.
▪ Take time and effort.
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Mail questionnaires Electronic questionnaires

▪ Advantages:
▪ Anonymity is high.
▪ Advantages:
▪ Easy to administer.
▪ Wide geographic regions can be reached.
▪ Can reach globally.
▪ Token gifts can be enclosed to seek compliance.
▪ Easy to access specific target groups.
▪ Old-fashioned and obsolete.
▪ Very inexpensive.
▪ Respondent can take more time to respond at
convenience. ▪ Fast delivery.
▪ Respondents can answer at their convenience like
▪ Disadvantages:
the mail questionnaire.
▪ Response rate is almost always low.
▪ Automatic processing of answers.
▪ Cannot clarify questions.
▪ Follow-up procedures for nonresponses are necessary
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Advantages and disadvantages of

Electronic questionnaires different questionnaires

▪ Disadvantages:
▪ Computer literacy is a must.
▪ Sampling issues.
▪ High non-response.
▪ Not always possible to generalize findings.
▪ Respondent must be willing to complete the survey.
▪ People find invitations via e-mail rude and offensive;
mails are deleted or people complain.

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How to improve your response rates Questionnaire Design

• Sending follow‐up mails and keeping the ▪ Definition

questionnaire brief usually help. A questionnaire is a pre-formulated, written set of questions
• Electronic questionnaires are also expected to meet to which the respondent records his answers
with a better response rate when respondents are ▪ Steps
notified in advance about the forthcoming survey, 1. Determine the content of the questionnaire
• and when a reputed research organization 2. Determine the form of response
3. Determine the wording of the questions
administers them with its own introductory cover
4. Determine the question sequence
letter.
5. Write cover letter
• A small monetary incentive is also an effective
technique to increase response rates.
• Brief
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Guidelines for questionnaire design Guidelines for questionnaire design

▪ The wording of the questions.

▪ The planning of issues with regard to how the
variables will be categorized, scaled, and coded
after receipt of the responses.
▪ The third pertains to the general appearance of
the questionnaire

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Principles of wording 1. Questionnaire Content

1. The appropriateness of the content of the ▪ Framework

questions. Need information for all constructs in
2. How questions are worded and the level of framework
sophistication of the language used. ▪ Measurement: Operationalizing
▪ Objective construct:
3. The type and form of questions asked.
▪ 1 element/items
4. The sequencing of the questions. => 1 question
5. The personal data sought from the ▪ Subjective construct:
respondents. ▪ multiple elements/items
=> multiple questions

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2. Type and form of questions 3. Question wording

▪ Closed vs. Open-ended questions ▪ Avoid double-barreled questions (Two- concepts
▪ Closed questions questions)
▪ Helps respondents to make quick decisions ▪ Do you think there is a good market for the
▪ Helps researchers to code product and that it will sell well?
▪ Open-ended question ▪ Avoid ambiguous questions and words
▪ First: unbiased point of view
▪ To what extent would you say you are happy?
▪ Final: additional insights
▪ Complementary to closed question: for ▪ Avoid loaded questions
interpretation purpose
▪ Type of cloesed questions

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3. Question wording Question Wording

▪ Avoid leading or biasing questions ▪ Use positive and negative statements

▪ Don’t you think that in these days of “I feel I have been able to accomplish a number of
escalating costs of living, employees should different things in my job ,” “I do not feel I am very
be given good pay rises?” effective in my job.”
▪ Avoid Social desirability questions ▪ Avoid double negatives
▪ Do you think that older people should be laid ▪ Limit the length of the questions
off? Rules of thumb:
▪ Avoid recall depended questions ▪ < 20 words
▪ < one full line in print

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Classification data or personal

4. Question Sequence information

• known as personal information or demographic

questions, elicit such information as age,
educational level, marital status, and income.
• Such data help to describe the sample
characteristics in the report written after data
analysis.
• it is a wise policy to ask for such information by
providing a range of response options, rather
than seeking exact figures.
• Should appear at the beginning or at the end of
Personal and sensitive data at the end the questionnaire?
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Classification data or personal

information
Discussion

▪ Explain the principles of wording, stating

how these are important in questionnaire
design, citing examples not in the book.

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Principles of measurement Principles of measurement

▪ These refer to the scales and scaling

techniques used in measuring concepts, as well
as the assessment of reliability and validity of
the measures used.
▪ Validity establishes how well a technique,
instrument, or process measures a particular
concept, and
▪ Reliability indicates how stably and consistently
the instrument taps the variable.

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5. Cover Letter Cover Letter: example

▪ Dear Participant,
▪ The cover letter is the introductory page of This questionnaire is designed to study aspects of life at work. The
information you provide will help us better understand the quality of our
the questionnaire work life. Because you are the one who can give us a correct picture of
▪ It includes: how you experience your work life, I request you to respond to the
questions frankly and honestly. Your response will be kept strictly
▪ Identification of the researcher confidential. Only members of the research team will have access to the
information you give. In order to ensure the utmost privacy, we have
▪ Motivation for respondents to fill it in provided an identification number for each participant. This number will be
▪ Confidentiality used by us only for follow‐up procedures. The numbers, names, and the
completed questionnaires will not be made available to anyone other than
▪ Thanking of the respondent the research team. A summary of the results will be mailed to you after
the data are analyzed. Thank you very much for our time and cooperation.
I greatly appreciate the help of your organization and yourself in furthering
this research endeavor.
Cordially,
(Sd)
Sanjeewa Jayaratna
A. Professor, PhD
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General appearance of the questionnaire Tips of the questionnaire

▪ A good introduction (cover letter/consent form) ▪ Review of questionnaire design

▪ Organizing questions, giving instructions and ▪ Pretesting of structured questions
guidance, and good alignment ▪ Electronic survey design systems
▪ Personal data ▪ Missing data and outliers
▪ Information on income and other sensitive
personal data
▪ Open-ended question at the end
▪ Concluding the questionnaire (Thanks)
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Special issues in cross-cultural research Special issues in cross-cultural research

▪ Back translation At least three issues are important for

▪ EXAMPLE cross‐cultural data collection:
1. Response equivalence, ensured by adopting
1. Pepsi’s “Come alive with the Pepsi generation” →
uniform data collection procedures in the
Chinese means “Pepsi brings your ancestors from the
grave.” different cultures.
2. Timing of data collection, and
2. Frank Perdue’s chicken slogan “It takes a strong man
to make a tender chicken” translates in Spanish to “It 3. The status of the individual collecting the data.
takes an aroused man to make a chicken affectionate.”
3. When American Airlines wanted to advertise its new
leather first‐class seats to Mexico, its “Fly in Leather”
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campaign would have literally translated to “Fly Naked”
in Spanish.
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Discussion Discussion
▪ Review the advantages and disadvantages of different ▪ EXERCISE 9.2
Data collection methods: ▪ A production manager wants to assess the reactions of
▪ Interview the blue‐collar workers in his department (including
▪ Observation ▪ foremen) to the introduction of computer‐integrated
▪ Questionnaire manufacturing (CIM) systems. He is particularly
▪ interested to know how they perceive the effects of CIM
on:
1. Their future jobs.
2. Additional training that they will have to receive.
3. Future job advancement.
Design a questionnaire for the production manager.
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Discussion Discussion
▪ Production Manager ▪ Shift currently working in
▪ Design a questionnaire for the production manager. ▪ 1. Personal Information (place a ▪ □ Machinist
▪ Questionnaire mark on the appropriate box) ▪ □ Less than 1
▪ Cria Software Enterprises ▪ Job Status ▪ □ Day
▪ 4571 Southwood Ave ▪ Number of years worked in the ▪ □ Fitter
▪ Cupertino, California 94024 Department ▪ □ 1-2
▪ □ Evening
▪ Date
▪ □ Loader
Dear Employee,
▪ □ 3-5
As we had discussed in our meetings, Computer Integrated ▪ □ Night
Manufacturing (CIM) will form a part of our operations in the future. We ▪ □ Inspector
would like to know how you visualize certain aspects of the future ▪ □ 5-10
environment as we introduce the changes. Please take a few minutes ▪ □ Foreman
to complete this short questionnaire and return it to the locked box with ▪ □ Over 10 years
the slit on the top, in the front office. Thank you for responding within ▪ □ Surveyor
the next five days. ▪ □ Other
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Discussion
▪ 2. Your Opinions regarding the following.
▪ Please circle the appropriate number for each of the following items using
the scale below.
▪ Strongly Agree 1, Agree 2, Neither Agree nor Disagree 3, Disagree 4,
Strongly Disagree 5
1. I will need additional training to work in the changed environment.
2. The new system will offer me better opportunities for advancement.
3. The opportunities for training will have to be enhanced with CIM.
4. I am not sure if CIM will need all the people we now have in this
department.
5. I feel that most of us may not have better opportunities for future promotions
in the new manufacturing environment.
6. Most of us will need special training to work with CIM.
7. I am sure the future looks bright for most of us here.
Items 4 and 7 measure opinion about their future jobs
1, 3, and 6 measure perceived training needs 2 and 5 measure job Sanjeewa Jayaratna
advancement

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