Survey research
The survey management group in association with the economic analysis group undertakes research every five years to capture and examine the motivations that underpin responses to the regular surveys
Find out more about our survey methodology >>
These "Answering Practices" surveys provide a vital insight into the way respondents approach a wide variety of questions and how they assess their own company situation in relation to the wider sector or macro-economic situation. These Answering Practices surveys have been well-received in the academic and international survey fora where both the European Commission and the OECD have encouraged other survey providers to develop their own answering practices surveys. The reports are also used regularly by the Bank of England to gain a further insight into our surveys. These surveys are a useful mechanism for also detecting change within the way respondents approach the surveys.
It is essential for the correct interpretation and analysis of the CBI business surveys that we have a clear understanding of the underlying basis upon which respondents reply. From time to time, the CBI investigates the answering practices of its respondent companies by conducting what have become known as “answering practices surveys”. The CBI has conducted “questionnaire on the questionnaire” answering practices exercises since 1967.
The Answering Practices Surveys provide valuable insights into the following important considerations:
How do companies assess business confidence and export optimism? For example, in the CBI Quarterly Industrial Trends Survey, these are vital measures of the likely trends for UK manufacturing. This question shows up the distinction between the number of participants who report on business confidence in terms of a “level” as opposed to “the change in business mood”.
What are the underlying reasons for answering “constraint” style questions?
How do participants assess an accurate measure of costs, capacity and profitability?
How do participants answer questions with “up”, “same”, or “down” as the main parameters?
It is also essential across our broad range of business surveys, to analyse how participants deal with “normality”. For example, on the CBI Quarterly Industrial Trends Survey, what precisely do companies mean by “normal” when judging their order books as “normal”, “above normal” or “below normal”? It is also important to gauge whether a participant’s approach to this question changes over time. The Survey Management Group also ensures that these research surveys are able to detect and report on innovations within each sector and the ways that companies approach output, prices and stock levels. These surveys are also a great opportunity to engage with our valued participants on general methodology issues.
These exercises act as a scientifically based check upon the motivations of the participant when answering qualitative subjective opinion-based surveys. The response rates for these special surveys are usually very encouraging-between 50% and 80% of the normally expected regular surveys response rate. Answering Practices surveys have been applied to all our business surveys and the new cycle of surveys will begin in September 2012 with an examination of the service sector.
The results of each survey are analysed by the Economic Analysis Group and a final report is presented to the European Commission DGEcfin Harmonised workshops on a regular basis. The CBI is pleased to have been instrumental in encouraging other survey providers in the European Harmonised Programme of Business and Consumer Tendency Surveys to develop and conduct their own answering practices surveys.
If you would like to learn more about this survey research tool or see some sample research papers, please contact Jonathan Wood, Head of Survey Management at Jonathan.wood@cbi.org.uk
Want to participate in our business surveys? Contact the team
