TO: Jennifer Park, Office of Management and Budget
Statistical and Science Policy,
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs,
FROM: Timothy Wojan DATE: 11/26/2013
Economic Research Service
SUBJECT: OMB CONTROL NUMBER: 0536-0071
Non-substantive changes to CATI script based on evaluation of initial phone interviews after launch of Rural Establishment Innovation Pilot Survey.
After the first full week of phone interviews and receipt of completed web surveys of the Rural Establishment Innovation Pilot Survey, the need for a small number of minor changes became apparent. Over this time 24 phone interviews were completed and 75 web surveys completed. The proposed changes and the reasons for those changes are summarized below. These changes only pertain to the CATI script for the remainder of the pilot survey data collection. These changes will likely be incorporated into the mail survey and web survey for the full study after the responses to these questions are analyzed.
Q22:
205: Q22A
In 2012 what percent of goods and services sold by this business were sold to other businesses?
$R.2 0.00 100.00
No sales in 2012 -4 => Q23
Don't know -7
Refuse -9
206: Q22B
In 2012 what percent of goods and services sold by your business were sold to government?
$R.2 0.00 100.00
Don't know -7
Refuse -9
207: Q22C
In 2012 what percent of goods and services sold by your business were sold to individuals?
$R.2 0.00 100.00
Don't know -7
Refuse -9
The question is seemingly simple and straightforward. In cognitive testing it did not raise concerns. In addition, the web respondents do not appear to have trouble answering the question. However, in phone interviews nearly all respondents have required clarification, often going into some detail about their customer base. Many would take more than one minute to answer this question with a couple extending beyond three minutes. Given the added burden and the limited value of the information elicited by this question it would be best to eliminate it for the pilot survey. We considered rewording the question but did not come up with any concise alternatives that remove ambiguity of the question. We will be able to analyze the value of this question more thoroughly from mail and web surveys and propose making our final determination on the fate of this question in the final pilot survey report.
Q7:
114: Q07A
In the past 12 months, did this business offer a health insurance option for any workers?
Yes 01
No 02
Don't know -7
Refuse -9
115: Q07C
In the past 12 months, did this business pay for worker education, professional development, or training?
Yes 01
No 02
Don't know -7
Refuse -9
116: Q07D
(In the past 12 months, did this business) Offer paid maternity, paternity, or family leave?
Yes 01
No 02
Don't know -7
Refuse -9
117: Q07E
(In the past 12 months, did this business) Have an employee-ownership plan? font color="#0000FF" (IWR Definition: Profit sharing or company stock.)/font
Yes 01
No 02
Don't know -7
Refuse -9
118: Q07B
(In the past 12 months, did this business) Offer a retirement plan (401k or pension)?
Yes 01
No 02
Don't know -7
Refuse -9
119: Q07F
2013/10/24 12:44
(In the past 12 months, did this business) The last one is Offer paid time off in order for workers to volunteer?
Yes 01
No 02
Don't know -7
Refuse -9
In the current CATI script the retirement plan item precedes the employee ownership plan item. Some respondents regard the employee ownership plan as a retirement plan. This potential confusion was not identified in cognitive testing. From the completed surveys roughly 8 percent of establishments have an employee ownership plan. To avoid potential confusion it is proposed to place the retirement plan option after the employee ownership item as the former is more general than the latter, and provide guidance in interviewer notes that retirement plans include 401ks and pensions.
Q5 to be placed after Q42a
305: Q05AA
Please tell me how important each of the following factors are for making this community an attractive place to work. The first one is Opportunities for outdoor recreation. Would you say this factor was not important, somewhat important, or very important for making this community an attractive place to work?
Not important 01
Somewhat important 02
Very important 03
Don't know -7
Not applicable -8
Refuse -9
306: Q05AB
(Please tell me how important each of the following factors are for making this community an attractive place to work. ) The next one is Scenic beauty such as natural or architectural beauty. Would you say this factor was not important, somewhat important, or very important? (for making this community an attractive place to work?)
Not important 01
Somewhat important 02
Very important 03
Don't know -7
Not applicable -8
Refuse -9
307: Q05AC
(Please tell me how important each of the following factors are for making this community an attractive place to work. ) (The next one is) Climate. (Would you say this factor was not important, somewhat important, or very important for making this community an attractive place to work?)
Not important 01
Somewhat important 02
Very important 03
Don't know -7
Not applicable -8
Refuse -9
308: Q05AD
(Please tell me how important each of the following factors are for making this community an attractive place to work. ) (The next one is) Access to arts and entertainment. (Would you say this factor was not important, somewhat important, or very important for making this community an attractive place to work?)
Not important 01
Somewhat important 02
Very important 03
Don't know -7
Not applicable -8
Refuse -9
309: Q05AE
(Please tell me how important each of the following factors are for making this community an attractive place to work. ) (The next one is) Quality of local schools. (Would you say this factor was not important, somewhat important, or very important for making this community an attractive place to work?)
Not important 01
Somewhat important 02
Very important 03
Don't know -7
Not applicable -8
Refuse -9
310: Q05AF
(Please tell me how important each of the following factors are for making this community an attractive place to work. ) The last one is Access to health care. (Would you say this factor was not important, somewhat important, or very important for making this community an attractive place to work?)
Not important 01
Somewhat important 02
Very important 03
Don't know -7
Not applicable -8
Refuse -9
Q5a to be placed just before Q41
272: Q05A
Please tell me how important each of the following factors are for locating this business in this community. The first one is Owner-ties to the area. Would you say this factor was not important, somewhat important, or very important for locating this business in this community?
Not important 01
Somewhat important 02
Very important 03
Don't know -7
Not applicable -8
Refuse -9
273: Q05B
(Please tell me how important each of the following factors are for locating this business in this community.) The next one is Availability of low-cost labor. Would you say this factor was not important, somewhat important, or very important? (for locating this business in this community?)
Not important 01
Somewhat important 02
Very important 03
Don't know -7
Not applicable -8
Refuse -9
274: Q05C
(Please tell me how important each of the following factors are for locating this business in this community.) (The next one is) Available skilled labor pool. (Would you say this factor was not important, somewhat important, or very important for locating this business in this community?)
Not important 01
Somewhat important 02
Very important 03
Don't know -7
Not applicable -8
Refuse -9
275: Q05D
(Please tell me how important each of the following factors are for locating this business in this community.) (The next one is) Access to transportation. (Would you say this factor was not important, somewhat important, or very important for locating this business in this community?)
Not important 01
Somewhat important 02
Very important 03
Don't know -7
Not applicable -8
Refuse -9
276: Q05E
(Please tell me how important each of the following factors are for locating this business in this community.) (The next one is) Access to broadband or high speed internet. (Would you say this factor was not important, somewhat important, or very important for locating this business in this community?)
Not important 01
Somewhat important 02
Very important 03
Don't know -7
Not applicable -8
Refuse -9
277: Q05F
(Please tell me how important each of the following factors are for locating this business in this community.) (The next one is) Access to material inputs. (Would you say this factor was not important, somewhat important, or very important for locating this business in this community?)
Not important 01
Somewhat important 02
Very important 03
Don't know -7
Not applicable -8
Refuse -9
278: Q05G
(Please tell me how important each of the following factors are for locating this business in this community.) (The next one is) Access to customers. (Would you say this factor was not important, somewhat important, or very important for locating this business in this community?)
Not important 01
Somewhat important 02
Very important 03
Don't know -7
Not applicable -8
Refuse -9
279: Q05H
(Please tell me how important each of the following factors are for locating this business in this community.) (The next one is) Government incentives. (Would you say this factor was not important, somewhat important, or very important for locating this business in this community?)
Not important 01
Somewhat important 02
Very important 03
Don't know -7
Not applicable -8
Refuse -9
280: Q05I
(Please tell me how important each of the following factors are for locating this business in this community.) (The next one is) Low taxes. (Would you say this factor was not important, somewhat important, or very important for locating this business in this community?)
Not important 01
Somewhat important 02
Very important 03
Don't know -7
Not applicable -8
Refuse -9
281: Q05J
(Please tell me how important each of the following factors are for locating this business in this community.) The last one is Strong or growing local economy. (Would you say this factor was not important, somewhat important, or very important for locating this business in this community?)
Not important 01
Somewhat important 02
Very important 03
Don't know -7
Not applicable -8
Refuse -9
Q5 and Q5a were originally a single question separated as a result of cognitive testing. The original justification for including Q5 and Q5a toward the beginning of the survey was the questions’ productiveness in the 1996 ERS Rural Manufacturing Survey and thus the desire to ensure completion, and the possibility that the question would serve as a useful gateway question to the rest of the survey. In cognitive testing this placement did not appear to produce any difficulties for respondents. However, after listening to numerous phone surveys both Q5 and Q5a appear to be presented too early in the phone conversation just as “vital statistics” of the business are being collected. Both questions fit much better later in the survey when location issues are discussed at length and demonstrated success in retaining the great majority of respondents to the end of the survey lessens the risk of item nonresponse.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | WIN31TONT40 |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-01-27 |