QCEW Green Goods and Services Sector Industry Pre-Testing - Feasibility Interviews

Script for green goods and services Feasibility interview

Products

Typographical conventions: italics for programmer notes, ALL CAPS FOR ITEMS NOT READ OR INSTRUCTIONS TO THE INTERVIEWER.

Introduction

Intro1. Hello. My name is ______________. I am calling on behalf of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. I'm calling in reference to a new data initiative being undertaken by BLS. It would be very helpful to us if we could talk to you about your firm’s various products. Would you be able to answer questions about your firm’s revenues and employment for your products?

• Yes → GO TO INTRO2.

• No → Do you know who at your firm would be able to answer those questions for us?

Name:_______________________________________

Position/Department:___________________________

Phone:_______________________________________

Fax:_________________________________________

Thank you for your time. (hang up and contact name given).

Continue with correct respondent

Intro2. BLS routinely asks businesses questions that help collect the best data possible, so we are contacting a small sample of respondents to discuss an important new data initiative that we are very excited about. We recently mailed you a letter about this. Did you receive our letter?

• Yes

• No → Can I can fax or email you a copy of that letter now?

What is your fax number/email address?

Would you like me to call you back once I’ve sent you the fax/email or would you rather schedule for another time?

 CALL ME RIGHT BAck → CONFIRM NAME AND PHONE NUMBER, HANG UP

 RESCHEDULE

When would be a good time to call you back?

Appointment Information:

APPT DAY: _________________ TIME OF DAY: _________________

NAME:______________________ PHONE #:________________________

Intro3. I realize you are very busy, but would you have some time now to answer a few questions? The questions usually take about 20 minutes.

• Yes, have time

• No → When would be a good time to call you back?

Appointment Information:

APPT DAY: _________________ TIME OF DAY: _________________

Intro4. I called [Phone number]. Is this the best phone number to use to reach you?

• Yes

• No → Correct the information here: ____________________

Questionnaire Script

BLS has been asked to produce measures of employment in U.S. industries that produce green goods and services. Before we can do this, we need to better understand how businesses track information regarding the variety of products they offer. The questions I will ask you today will help BLS collect the most accurate and reliable data possible.

Before we begin, let me assure you that the purpose of this call is strictly for informational and statistical purposes. The information you provide will help BLS better understand business record-keeping and will aid in designing a new survey. Your participation is completely voluntary and you can decline to answer any question at any time. Information related to this study is confidential and will not be released to the public in any way that would allow identification of individuals or establishments except as prescribed under the conditions of the Privacy Act Notice. This interview is approved by the Office of Management and Budget, number 1220-0181, which expires on September 30, 2010.

NAICS index item mapping questions

1. Do you have the introductory letter that we sent to you available, so you can refer to it?

• Yes

• No

2. Are you familiar with the concept of NAICS, which is the North American Industry Classification System?

• Yes

• No → Briefly, the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) was

developed and is used by the US, Canada, and Mexico. NAICS is the standard in classifying business establishments based on their production process for the collection, tabulation, presentation, and analysis of data describing the North American economy. Use of the standard provides uniformity and comparability in the presentation of these statistical data.

3. a. Please look at the list of major activities at the end of the letter. This list reflects the NAICS code that BLS has assigned to your worksite (READ WORKSITE NAME AND ADDRESS) listed on the same sheet. Does this list provide an accurate description of your primary business activity at that worksite? If you do not have the list, I can read these items for you. (it might be on the back side – if respondent doesn’t have letter read off ACTIVITIES to them).

• Yes → Go to Question 4

• No

3b. Can you tell me about your primary business activities at that location?

JUST GET A BASIC DESCRIPTION (WHAT TYPES OF PRODUCTS ARE MANUFACTURED THERE)

Product line questions

4. As I said, we are interested in information about <NAME OF FIRM> different product lines. How many product lines does your firm have in total? By product lines I mean the type of goods you make, sell or produce at your firm. (FOR EXAMPLE APPLIANCES, CHEMICALS, CROPS, CLOTHING ITEMS, ETC.)

   • one→ Go Question 23

   • more than one →

What are some of those different products?

LIST:___________________________________

Go to Question 5

Revenue by product

5. Do you track revenue by different product lines?

• Yes → What about for different models of a product within product lines?

• Yes → Go to Question 6

• No → Go to Question 6

• No → What about for different models of a product within product lines?

• Yes → Go to Question 6

• No → Go to Question 8

6. Does your firm have multiple worksites?

• Yes→ Go to question 7 FLAG THIS RESPONSE FOR REFERRAL

• No → Go to Question 9 FLAG THIS RESPONSE FOR REFERRAL

7. BLS does not intend to publish this information. Would you be able to provide revenue by product line or product model within the product line for your individual worksites?

• IF Yes for both → Go to question 9

• yes only for a major product line → Go to question 9

• yes only for product models → Go to question 9

• No → Why not? ____________

8. How do you track revenue? ____________________________________________________

GO TO QUESTION 13a

Time period

9. a. Do you track revenue for your product lines or various models by different time periods?

• Yes → Go to question 9b

• NO → How do you track revenue?_______________ → Go to question 10

9b. If yes, by what time periods?

• Fiscal year→ How long after the fiscal year is this information available? _____

When is this information available?______________

• calendar year→ When is this information available?______________

• other:(specify)__________________________________________________

When is this information available?______________

10. If you were asked to provide information about revenue on a survey form for a given reference period, for example, fiscal year, calendar year, most recent 4 quarters, how long do you think it would take you to compile the information about the amount of revenues generated by:

10a. Product lines?

 DON’T KNOW

 REFUSE

 Time estimate given: __________________

 OTHER/COMMENT: __________________

10b. different models?

 DON’T KNOW

 REFUSE

 Time estimate given: __________________

 OTHER/COMMENT: __________________

11. If you were asked what percentage of your total annual revenue comes from different products or models for a given reference period, how long do you think it would take you to compile the information:

11a. Product lines?

 DON’T KNOW

 REFUSE

 Time estimate given: __________________

 OTHER/COMMENT: __________________

11b. different models?

 DON’T KNOW

 REFUSE

 Time estimate given: __________________

 OTHER/COMMENT: __________________

11c. How exact would your percentage be? (VERY, JUST AN ESTIMATE, ETC.)

 VERY EXACT

 JUST AN ESTIMATE

 DON’T KNOW

12. a. Which would be easier for you, providing the actual annual revenue from a product line or the percentage of your total revenue generated by that product line?

• Actual annual revenue

• percentage of total revenue

12b. Please explain why you answered this way_______________________________________

GO TO QUESTION 14

Revenue compile

13. a. If you don’t track the revenue associated with a product line or model number, would you would be able to compile that information if asked?

• Yes

• No → Go to question 13C

• comment __________________

13b. On a scale of 1 to 5 (with 1 being the easiest and 5 being the most difficult), how difficult would it be to compile this information?

1 2 3 4 5

    

Easiest Most Difficult

go to question 14

13c. Why not? _________________________________________________________

13d. Is there anyone else who would be able to compile that information?

IF YES: Name:________________________________________

Position/Department:____________________________

Phone:________________________________________

Employment

14. a. BLS is considering using revenue by product line or model to estimate the number of employees involved with producing that product or model. We want this employment estimate to account for all employee types at the worksite, including manufacturing employees, administrative employees, sales and marketing employees, etc.

Do you think the amount of revenue could reasonably represent the employment associated with a particular product line? (FOR EXAMPLE, MY FIRM PRODUCES DISHWASHERS AND WASHING MACHINES. 70% OF THE REVENUE IS FROM DISHWASHERS, SO 70% OF THE FIRM’S TOTAL EMPLOYMENT IS ASSOCIATED WITH DISHWASHERS.)

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

14b. Please explain why you answered this way________________________________

15. a. Would revenue for a particular model number also reasonably represent the employment associated with that model?

• Yes

• NO

• DON’T KNOW

15b. Please explain why you answered this way____________________________

16. a. (IF QUESTION 6 IS YES, OTHERWISE GO TO 17) Would revenue by product and/or model also be available at the worksite level?

    • Yes

    • No

    • Don’t know

16b. Please explain why you answered this way_________________________________

17. BLS does not intend to publish information about product lines/models or revenue. If BLS asked you to provide the amount of total revenues accounted for by a major product or model, would you share this information?

• Yes

• No → Would you be willing to tell us why not? _____________________

• DON’T KNOW/NOT SURE → Would you be willing to explain? ________

Number of jobs by timeframe

18. a. If you were asked to estimate the percentage of your employees, including sales, marketing, and administrative employees, who work primarily on a product line during a given reference period such as your fiscal year or the calendar year, would you be able to provide that information?

• Yes → In what month of the year would that information be available? ______________

(FISCAL YEAR ONLY) How long after the reference period is that?

______________

• No → Why not? ________________________GO TO QUESTION 22A

18b. Could you do this for each particular model?

• Yes → In what month of the year would that information be available? __

• No → Why not? ________________________

19. a. (IF QUESTION 6 AND 18A OR 18B IS YES OTHERWISE SKIP TO 20) Would you be able to do this at the worksite level?

    • Yes

    • No

    • Don’t know

19b. Why is that so?_________________________________________

20. How long do you think it would take you to compile this information if asked in a survey?

 DON’T KNOW

 REFUSE

• Time estimate given: __________________

21. a. Which of the following would be easier for you, providing the annual revenue generated by a product or employment numbers by product/model?

 REVENUE

 Employment

 both easy

 Both difficult

21b. Why is that so?_________________________________________

SKIP TO ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION QUESTION 28

Job compile

22. a. (ONLY IF 18A IS NO) If you don’t track the percentage of employees, including sales, marketing, administrative employees, associated with a product line or model, would that information be something you would be able to compile if asked?

• Yes

• No → go to Question 22c

22b. On a scale of 1 to 5 (with 1 being the easiest and 5 being the most difficult), how difficult would it be to compile this information?

1 2 3 4 5

    

Easiest Most Difficult

SKIP TO QUESTION 28

22c. Why not? _________________________________________________

22d. Is there anyone else who would be able to compile that information?

IF YES: Name:________________________________________

Position/Department:____________________________

Phone:________________________________________

SKIP TO QUESTION 28

One Product Type

23. Do you produce different models or lines of your product?

• Yes → go to question 24

• No → go to QUESTION 34

24. Do you track exact revenue generated by the different models?

    • Yes

    • No → go to QUESTION 28

25. BLS is considering using the revenue generated by a model line, along with total annual revenue, to estimate the number of employees involved in producing that model. Do you think this approach is reasonable for your business?

• Yes

• No

• don’t KNOW

25b. Why is that so?_________________________________________________

26. BLS does not intend to publish information on products or revenue. Would you be willing to provide revenue share by model to BLS on a survey form?

• Yes

• No → go to QUESTION 28

• don’t know

27. a. Which of the following would be easier for you, providing the amount of annual revenue generated by a model line or providing the percentage of your total revenue generated by that model line?

    • Actual annual revenue

    • percentage of total revenue

27b. Why is that so? ________________________________________

Environmental information

28. Do any of your products or any specific models or versions meet any environmental standards, such as EnergyStar?

• Yes → A. Do all of your products/models or just certain products/models meet this standard?

• All

• JUST CERTAIN products/MODELS

• No → go to question 31

• DON’t KNoW → go to question 31

29. a. What are those environmental standards (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)?

• Energystar

• USDA Certified Organic

• Green seal

• other:_________________________________ → Go to Question 29b

• Other:_________________________________ → Go to Question 29b

29b. Are these national, state, or local area specific standards?

30. If BLS were to ask for revenue shares for product lines or models that met one of those environmental standards, would you be able to provide that information? For example, what percent of revenue is represented by EnergyStar-rated product lines?

 Yes

 No

 don’t know

31. Do any of your products use inputs that are recycled materials?

 Yes → What is that input?_____________ → GO TO QUESTION 32

 No→ Go to Question 34

 don’t know→ Go to Question 34

32. Is the recycled material used in all products or just certain products?

 Yes ALL

 yes some

 Don’t know→ Go to Question 34

33. Would you be able to provide revenue information for those products that use recycled inputs?

 Yes

 No

 don’t know

34. I’m done with my questions. As I’ve mentioned before, BLS is trying to find the best approach to measure the number of jobs involved in producing green goods and services. Do you have any suggestions as to how BLS can best capture this information in your firm or industry?

IF ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT GREEN DEFINITION, PLEASE DIRECT THEM TO www.bls.gov/green WEBSITE.

Closing

Those are all the questions I have for you. Thank you for your time, the information you have provided is very useful

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