RESPONSE RATES IN HRM OB SURVEY-RESEARCH - NORMS AND CORRELATES, 1990-1994/

Literature from marketing, sociology, and public opinion measurement r eveals several variables associated with high response rates. The lite rature suggests that advance notice, follow-rep reminders, monetary in centives, and issue salience are associated with higher response rates in consumer populations. Further, the literature suggests that length of questionnaire decreases response rates. An analysis of articles fr om the Journal of Applied Psychology, Personnel Psychology, Human Rela tions, Group & Organization Management, Journal of Business and Psycho logy, and Public Personnel Management was conducted for the years 1990 to 1994 to determine if these trends generalized to industrial sample s. Multiple regression analyses found that Sour variables were signifi cantly associated with response rates. These variables were advance no tice, identification numbers, follow-up reminders, and salience. The a ssociations of follow-up reminders and salience to higher response rat es were only found in mailed surveys. Future research and theoretical orientation toward study of response rates are discussed.