Vasja Vehovar

Web Surveys versus other Survey Modes: A Meta-Analysis Comparing Response Rates:

Web surveys are often discussed as a supplement, sometimes also as an alternative to traditional survey modes where response rates are tending to decline (e.g. de Leeuw & de Heer 2002; Roster et al . 2004; Evans & Mathur 2005). However, also in web surveys there is the problem of non-response (Couper 2000; Vehovar et al . 2002). For example, over-surveying internet users may negatively impact on their willingness to participate. The activity of direct marketers with their unsolicited email practices (spam) may also have a negative influence on responses to web surveys. In addition, the methodology of web surveys is probably still not sufficiently developed to take full advantage of the possibilities available, although extensive research efforts are being made in this direction (e.g. Frick et al . 1999; Tuten et al . 1999/2000; Dillman 2000).

Methodological Challenges of Digital Divide Measurements

The term “digital divide” has been used for almost a decade and typically relates to sociodemographic differences in the use of information and communication technology. However, the corresponding measurement is still relatively imprecise. Very often it is simply reduced to comparisons of Internet penetration rates. This article extends the measurements above the usual bivariate comparisons. Within this context, three essential approaches are presented and critically evaluated. First, loglinear modeling is used to address the interactions among the factors affecting the digital divide. Second, compound measures (i.e., the Digital Divide Index) that integrate a number of variables into a single indicator are discussed. Third, time-distance methodology is applied to analyze changes in the digital divide. The article argues that these approaches often yield entirely different conclusions compared to simple bivariate analysis. The examples are presented as a general warning against an oversimplified methodological approach to digital divide studies.

The social support networks of internet users

The available research indicates mixed results regarding the internet’s role in social relations. The article contributes to this research by studying the provision of support in egocentred social networks. Data regarding size, structure and communication channels were assessed through two specially designed surveys. The results show that the internet has a relatively limited impact on social relationships. Internet users have slightly larger social networks only in certain socially de-privileged segments (e.g. divorced, less educated). However, they reveal some specifics with respect to the structure of networks (more friends and less kin, weaker ties) and communication channels (typically the internet is used as a complement). The article also illustrates certain serious problems when drawing a causal inference from non-experimental data.

Measuring ego-centered social networks on the web: Questionnaire design issues

Abstract Collecting survey data on ego-centered social networks is a difficult task, owing to the complex questionnaire format. Usually, the interviewer handles the dynamics of the question–answer exchange, motivates the respondent and ensures the proper recording of the data. Self-administered modes of data collection, especially web data collection, are more problematic, as the respondents are left alone with a complex and burdensome questionnaire. Therefore, questionnaire layout is crucial for ensuring cooperation and data quality. In this paper we examined three key components of the corresponding web questionnaire: the number of name boxes using a single name generator, question format for assessing alter characteristics (i.e. alter-wise vs. question-wise) and number of name interpreters (i.e. alter characteristics). The number of name boxes was found to be essential for the reported size of social networks and also for some aspects of data quality. Specific data quality effects were also found with respect to variations in question format, where question-wise format performed better than alter-wise. The number of name interpreters had a relatively minor effect. Suggestions for possible standardization of the web interface layout are also given, so that equivalence with other data collection modes can be established.

Factors affecting evaluation of e‐business projects

Purpose – Despite rapid expansion of e‐business, the research on corresponding evaluation is relatively rare. This paper studies the factors that impact how companies evaluate their e‐business projects.Design/methodology/approach – Paper starts with conceptualization of factors that affect the usage of e‐business evaluation. The empirical part is based on representative telephone survey (n=755) among Slovenian companies in 2003. The causal model (LISREL) was applied on this data.Findings – Only about one tenth of the companies with sizeable e‐business projects employs some type of formal e‐business evaluation. One reason for that might be high satisfaction with e‐business. Among formal methods return on investments and cost benefit analysis dominate. However, once a company decides to apply evaluation approach it will use more methods, usually three or four. The attitudes towards e‐business are the most important factors affecting the implementation of e‐business evaluation methods. Surprisingly little di...

Social uses of interpersonal communication technologies in a complex media environment

This article investigates the patterns of social use of interpersonal communication technologies that can be discerned in today’s complex media environment, in which people have many channels available for interpersonal communication. The article starts with a comprehensive review of the comparative uses and gratification research of interpersonal communication media. It argues that these studies are efficient in answering questions such as why one device is preferred over another, but the approach they take is less suitable for an analysis of the patterns of actual use of interpersonal communication devices. While they build on various typologies of motives for media use, based upon psychological theories of motivations and needs, this article proposes that a valid typology of actual social uses of interpersonal media should be based on a social action theory in order to find general patterns of social use of interpersonal communication devices. Hence, this article follows recent developments of the uses and gratification approach which suggest treating social use as a social action and finds a fruitful starting point in Habermas’s typology of social action. From this, a typology of social uses of communication devices is derived, allowing a general and comprehensive, yet condensed empirical insight into the social uses of contemporary interpersonal communication technologies within a nationwide sample. Using various statistical techniques, an assessment is made of how five communication channels (i.e. mobile phone, short text messages, telephone, face-to-face and the Internet) are employed for four social uses, i.e. informational-cooperative, strategic, relational and expressive.

Sensitivity of Electronic Commerce Measurement to the Survey Instrument

Sample surveys are increasingly being used to measure electronic commerce activities. They often play a key role in efforts to describe and understand e-commerce phenomena, particularly in respect to attitudes, motives, and intentions. This paper studies establishment surveys of e-commerce, focusing especially on the sensitivity of the results to the measurement instrument. Several survey modes are compared, with special attention to the Web as a possible alternative to more expensive telephone and mail data-collection techniques. Controlled experiments show that e-commerce survey topics are sensitive to the measurement instrument, and especially to the Web questionnaire. In consequence, precise elaboration of the methodology is important when interpreting survey findings related to e-commerce.

Characteristics and impacts of ICT investments: perceptions among managers

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study the characteristics and impacts of information‐communication technology (ICT) investments as perceived by ICT managers.Design/methodology/approach – The paper starts with an overview and a conceptualisation. The empirical part is based on a national RIS 2005 representative telephone survey (n=727) of companies in Slovenia. With respect to ICT developments the Republic of Slovenia, situated between Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia, is a typical (median) country of the European Union.Findings – The size of ICT investments strongly determined the perception of ICT investments, but it had surprisingly little impact on its structure (i.e. hardware, software, education …). Satisfaction with ICT investments was relatively low, particular in small companies. One reason for this was the suboptimal implementation, particularly the lack of accompanying measures (e.g. education, organisational changes). The ICT investments brought considerable changes for the interna...

Mobile Phones in an Environment of Competing Survey Modes: Applying Metric for Evaluation of Costs and Errors

In recent years, mobile phones have become an increasingly important component in survey data collection. This holds true for self-administered questionnaires and particularly for interview surveys, where mobile phones enforce the combination with other survey modes. However, whether to include mobile phones in a particular survey design depends on complex cost—error relationships. To address this issue, the authors elaborate a metric—based on a product of costs and estimates of survey errors—that is then used for post survey comparison of design alternatives. The authors illustrate this approach with a simulation study using parameters from empirical research. The results show that such evaluation can potentially change the selection of the preferred design option compared to situations where only some of the components (e.g., response rate, nonresponse bias) are used for evaluation. More specifically, the decision about the inclusion of mobile phones predominantly depends on their bias-removing potential, while it is much less sensitive to changes in costs and other error parameters.

Mobile phone communication in social support networks of older adults in Slovenia

Mobile phone communication in social support networks of older adults is examined.Mobile phones are important for mediating emotional support and social companionship.The composition of social support networks scarcely predicts mobile phone communication.Age and socioeconomic status are negative predictors only in emotional support networks.Living alone positively affects mobile phone contacts in social support networks. Mobile phones have gained an important role in the personal communication of older adults with the members of their social support networks. Research shows that older adults increasingly use the mobile phone for maintenance and development of social interactions with their family members, peers, and caregivers as providers of emotional support and social companionship. Therefore, this study explores how retired older adults in Slovenia use mobile phones as personal devices for supportive communication as well as how the characteristics of their social support networks are related to the frequency of mobile phone communication with their network members. Using ego-centered social support network data, collected on a nationwide representative sample of retired older adults in Slovenia, this study found that the composition of emotional support and of social companionship networks scarcely predicts the frequency of mobile phone communication of older adults with their network members. Conversely, according to the results, it seems that more frequent in-person and landline phone communication with network members are positively associated with mobile phone communication, suggesting that older adults extend their communication sphere with a mobile phone in their support networks. Finally, the results indicate that sociodemographic characteristics of older adults, such as age, social-economic status, and living alone, significantly determine the frequency of mobile communication with their network members, even though their magnitude varies depending on the type of social support network.