SURVEY-RESEARCH BY TELEPHONE IN THE FORES T PRODUCTS INDUSTRY

During the last years the Arbeitsbereich Holzmarktlehre (University Fr eiburg, Germany) used telephone surveys as a research tool to collect information from forest products industries. The paper describes metho dical details and experiences, especially regarding identification of respondents, implementation of interviews, and costs. Target groups (o wners and employees of forest products enterprises) mostly reacted fav ourably on this form of an enquiry, especially when the telephone inte rview was announced by letter in advance. Costs are not higher than a mail survey implemented effectively, but information can be gathered q uicker by telephone than by mail.