Data Collection and Questionnaire Design: Global Financial Crisis and in Small Business in Victoria
Small Businesses play a vital role in the economic development in Victoria in particular and in Australia in general. The role of the small businesses in the wider economy is even more important given the global financial turmoil that we have been experiencing since 2008. As reported widely, the GFC has affected both developing and developed economies around the world. They experienced recessionary effects including low economic growth and a very high unemployment rate. As a chain reaction of such economic changes, it is viewed that the operations of small businesses are also affected. Against this background, a group of academics attached to the School of Finance has been commissioned by the state government to undertake a research. The purpose of this research is to understand the impact of the GFC on the operations of small businesses in Victoria in general and in the Western Region of Melbourne in particular.
The government intends to use the finding of this study as a benchmark that identifies how the GFC affected the operations of small businesses and provide further assistance to small business owners to succeed in their business.
You are given an opportunity to advice the research team. The research team is seeking your advice regarding the data collection method and preparation of a draft questionnaire. Therefore you are requested to write a report addressing the following matters:
• Research objectives: In your report, you must specify the research objectives. In this case, you should identify the overall research objective and specific objectives.
• Method of collecting data: The team prefers survey technique to collect
data. Their preference of survey method is based on factors such as reasonable data collection cost, collection of quality data, low refusal rates and prompt responses. However, your opinion is sought regarding a suitable method of data collection among survey technique, observation method, and experimental research.
• Survey methods: The team is undecided on whether to use personal interviews, telephone interviews, or self administered questionnaires (for example, mail survey or Internet survey) or a combination of these methods. You are requested to make recommendations regarding suitable technique/techniques to conduct the survey.
• Sample size and sampling method: You also need to comment on appropriate sample size and a sampling method. Possible sampling techniques are simple random sampling, stratified and cluster sampling and non-random sampling. Consider these methods or any other and then choose a suitable one for the study. Considering the high cost of data collection, someone has suggested that data can easily be collected from close friends, relatives of those who involve with the project. However, the team has strong reservations about this idea.
• Research process and errors: In the case of using the sampling method, you are to identify sampling and non-sampling errors in the discussion of the above matters. The research team is keen to know how to avoid or at least minimize both sampling and non-sampling errors. They believe that these errors are caused by the interviewers, respondents and data entry clerk (who will enter collected data into the SPSS spreadsheet). Make recommendations on how they can minimize sampling and non-sampling errors.
• Questionnaire design: The team is asking you to design a draft questionnaire for the survey in case of using a structured questionnaire. In designing the draft, you are advised to consider the following factors:
• Number of questions (hint too short or too long questionnaires are not appropriate, maximum number of questions can be about 20).
• Nature of questions (i.e. whether the questions are short, simple, and clearly worded).
• Order of questions (you could place demographic questions first followed by other questions or easy questions first followed by hard questions).
• Whether different types of questions are properly included (i.e. close ended and open ended questions).
• Whether enough thought is given about tabulating and analyzing data.
• You are also required to check the language for spelling or
grammatical errors.
• In case of conducting a survey, write a covering letter that can be attached to the questionnaire explaining precisely the nature of the research, objective of the research and the manner that you are going to use data collected in this research.
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