Costs

1. Costs Save where you can But not where you shouldn’t And keep a reserve for surprises Pamela Spall

2. Stages and types of costs

3. Stages and types of costs

4. Variables on cost behaviour • Size of the sample • Size of the survey instrument • Length of research period • Labour Costs • Ownership of Intellectual Property/survey formats • Geographic spread of the sample • Complexity of client group, program area or policy • Access to organizations • Quality of the data collected • Participation costs

5. Hints on where you can save • Reduce the size of the sample • Asking only what you need to know • Reducing labour costs – Outsourcing, selective involvement of key researchers • Using existing data bases/sets (ABS) to supplement data • Reducing the research period by using shorter and sharper surveys (e.g. snapshots)

6. Hints on where you can save • Locating existing survey tools • Use of electronic surveying • Using research services that already have established infrastructure • Depending on research question, change to a less complex or more ‘organized’ programmatic area or policy

7. Where you shouldn’t save • If sample size impacts on statistical validity or reduction appears exclusionary • If outsourcing can’t control quality of process of reduces skill • If survey tool won’t answer your research questions • If research participants don’t have access to the technology or can’t use the technology

8. Where you shouldn’t save • If the borrowed survey tool is culturally or otherwise inappropriate • If the key researcher/s are cut out of critical phases (e.g. analysis) • If the instrument is not piloted • If the data collection process takes a mono-cultural approach to culturally or linguistically specific groups

9. Peculiarities with nonprofit organizations • Survey fatigue • Autonomy of staff and management from management committees • Often there are limited existing data collection and other systems within organizations • Operating in an environment that is not necessarily conducive to a research culture (e.g. don’t fill surveys in properly) • Priority of Direct Service Delivery v.s. Organizational Arrangements • Limited access to electronic communication

10. Peculiarities with nonprofit organizations • Limited capacity to pay for research • Mindset - research is not valid unless everyone is included • Preference for Qualitative Methods – relationship is valued • Value participation incentives • Accuracy of contact data bases

11. Surprises • Endless number of formats and target audiences for nonprofit research • Participation costs • Follow-up if not good return – labour intensive and outsourcing firms will pass on cost • Accessing statistical expertise