Request for Approval for Cognitive Testing of Innovation Activities as Input to Annual Business Survey

Attachment 1 - Recruiting Script

Company Name:
City and State:
Contact Person:
Contact Position:
Phone Number:
E-Mail:
Company URL:

From Sample
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Corrections
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[REACHED VOICEMAIL - DO NOT LEAVE A VOICEMAIL UNTIL THIRD CONTACT ATTEMPT.] Hello, my
name is [RECRUITER NAME]. I am calling on behalf of the National Science Foundation’s National
Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES). We are in the process of designing a survey on
the extent to which businesses are involved in developing or implementing new products, processes,
or organizational methods and we would like to talk to you about your company, [COMPANY NAME].
Please call me back at [RECRUITER TELEPHONE]. Thank you.
[REACHED PERSON:] Hello, my name is [RECRUITER NAME]. I am calling for the National Science
Foundation’s National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES). May I please speak to
the person in your company who is most knowledgeable about the extent to which your company has
developed or implemented new products, processes, or organizational methods?
[IF NO:] Is there another time when he/she will be available that I may call?
Date: ____________ Time: _____:_____
Who should I ask for?
Name: ___________________________________
[IF YES:] NCSES is designing a survey on the extent to which companies develop or implement new
products, processes, or organizational methods, and we would like to talk to you about your
company, [COMPANY NAME].

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During the three years 2015 to 2017, did your business introduce new or significantly improved:

Goods - A good is usually a tangible object such as a smartphone,
furniture, or packaged software, but downloadable software, music and
film are also goods. Do not include the simple resale of new goods and
changes of a solely aesthetic nature.
Services - A service is usually intangible, such as retailing, insurance,
educational courses, air travel, consulting, etc.
Methods of manufacturing for producing goods or services
Logistics, delivery or distribution methods for inputs, goods or services
Supporting activities for processes, such as maintenance systems or
operations for purchasing, accounting, or computing

Yes

No

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If No to all parts of grid: We would like to [FOR IN-PERSON, SAY: come to your office and] [FOR
TELEPHONE, SAY: on the phone] spend about an hour with you asking how various internal and
external factors -- such as market conditions -- affect your company. We want to ensure that the
questions we design will be appropriate for companies like yours, and that they will collect the right
kinds of information.
IF Yes to one or more parts of grid: Yours is the type of company we would like to talk with.
We would like to [FOR IN-PERSON, SAY: come to your office and] [FOR TELEPHONE, SAY: on the
phone] spend about an hour with you asking how your company thinks about and conducts
innovation. We want to ensure that the questions we design would be appropriate for companies like
yours, and that they would collect the right kinds of information.

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Would you be willing to participate in the interview? We can offer you $40 as a way of thanking you
for your participation.

□ YES

□NO

[IF NO:] Thank for your time, and have a nice day. END
[IF YES for in-person interview:] Great! We would like to visit you at your office to conduct the
interview. Would you be available on:
[IF YES for online interview:] Great! We would like to conduct the interview online, using WebEx.
All you need is an internet connection; no changes to your computer or software are required.
Would you be available on:
Date: _____________________

Time: _____________________

[IF THE DATE AND TIME MENTIONED IS NOT POSSIBLE, SUGGEST OTHER DATES.
VERIFY ALL CONTACT INFORMATION LISTED ON PAGE 1 AND MAKE CORRECTIONS AS NEEDED.]
FOR TELEPHONE, SAY: Is [INSERT PHONE NUMBER FROM PAGE 1] the number you would like to be
reached at for the interview?
Please note that:
• This is not an official data collection.
• Your participation in this is voluntary.
• The purpose of our interview will be to try out some questions that NCSES {If No to all parts of
grid: plans to use on an annual national survey / If YES to one or more parts of grid: may use
to accurately measure innovation}.
• Finally, you and your company will not be mentioned by name in any NSCSES report.
• The persons attending the interview will be the interviewer, a note taker and a representative
from NCSES.
Again, the discussion should last about an hour. If you have any questions, please contact me at:
Phone: ___________________________ E-Mail: ___________________________
Thank you very much for agreeing to help us with preparing for this study. We will [FOR IN-PERSON,
SAY: see you] [FOR TELEPHONE, SAY: talk with you] on __________________.
Thank you for your time, and have a nice day. END

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