IMPROVING RESPONSE RATES IN CROSS-CULTURAL MAIL SURVEYS

How to achieve good response rates from domestic mid international mai lings continues to be a perplexing problem for researchers. Studies ab ound that test the effects of adjustments to specific elements of the survey package. This study advocates the adoption of a more theoretica lly grounded and integrated approach rather than the random adjustment of specific elements. One such approach, the total design method (TDM ) is reviewed and its normative guidelines documented. A study using t he approach in a commercial context,was conducted in three countries w ith positive results. The approach was seen to have a positive effect on response tares and to minimize the problem of source country effect s. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.