Global Surveying via the Web: Better, Faster, Cheaper ... and More Chaotic

Presented byL. Allen Slade and Nicholas Mills

at the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology,

14th Annual ConferenceApril 30 - May 2, 1999

Overview

• Introduction - The Ford Pulse Survey System

• Globalization

• Chaos in Surveys

• Electronic Surveying

Survey Quality Standards

• Trustworthiness – Provide valid and reliable data.

• Usefulness – Support effective decisions.

• Efficiency – Use least resources possible.

The Pulse Vision

To pursue feedback about people

as aggressively as

we pursue feedback about profits and products.

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• Provide a people metric for management.

• Support work-group level feedback and action planning.

Pulse Core Dimensions

• Supervision (6, .91)• Empowerment (5, .83)• Diversity (6, .84)• Business Issues (10, .88)• Survey Process (4, .92)

• Training & Development (4, .84)• Stress (4, .87)• Reward & Recognition (4, .84)• Workload (4, .82)• Job & Company (4, .80)• Quality (5, .80)• Work Group/Teamwork (4, .73)

Dimension Name (# Questions,

Pulse Process: Supplemental Questions

•Country Questions - 5 (optional)•Function Questions (optional):

–3 levels–5 Questions per level (optional)–Up to 2 functions per employee

Some Key Decisions

• Web Browser vs. E-mail Based Surveys

• Anonymity vs. Integrity

• Timing is Key

• Universal Suffrage vs. Efficiency

Survey Support Tools

• Web Survey System– Central Item Bank

• Promote common items

• Allows data sharing

– Survey Results Data Base• Store survey results in Ford data base

• Ford software generates reports from results data base

• Allows quicker and cheaper reaction time to requests for survey information

• Maintain confidentiality and anonymity - no individual data on Company system - rather an electronic storage of paper reports we currently get from vendor

Does Technology Pay Off?

96 Census(Paper)

97 Sample(Web)

98 Census(Web)

Response Rate(n of surveys)

65.9%(70,000)

50%(4,000)

63.4%(66,000)

Time for Initial Reports(n of Reports)

3 months(200)

1 month(100)

18 days(600)

Time for All Reports(n of Reports)

5 months(7,500)

2 months(3,000)

33 days(22,000)

Cost Savings 28.5%vs. 1996

Linguistic and Cultural Diversityon the Pulse Survey

• Chinese (2)

• Czech

• Dutch

• English (2)

• Finnish

• French (2)

• German

. . . in 46 Countries

• Hungarian

• Italian

• Japanese

• Polish

• Portuguese (2)

• Spanish (4)

• Thai

Impact of Language, Culture and Distance on Employee Surveys

• Survey Content– Translation of words– Translation of constructs

• Cultural Differences in Survey Use– Trust of Management– Familiarity with Surveys– Use and Appropriateness of Anonymous Feedback

• Delays Caused by Distance

Effective Management of Linguistic and Cultural Diversity

• Goal = Survey robust in design, interpretability and acceptance across Ford

• Communication among Survey Coordinators– Monthly Conference Call– Annual Global Conference– Incessant e-mails

Translation:Standards

• Use of External Translators and Internal Reviewers• Standards for Translators

– Certification– Survey Translation Experience– Ford Experience - 3 years or more

• Standards for Reviewers– good understanding of country’s language & culture– reading and writing proficiency in both English and target

language– orally communicate effectively in target language– knowledge of survey process

Translation:Process

• Web Interface• Translation Steps

– Question approved in English.

– Translator does initial translation.

– Lead translator approves translation

– Reviewer checks phrasing and Ford lingo.

– “Back-translation” - second/external review, not blind back translation.

Translation:The Need for Statistical Analysis

• Maintain translator and reviewer accountability

• Depersonalize criticism

• Create Order out of (n questions*n languages) questions to review

Simplification

• Principles– Try to please everybody and you will please nobody.– Common as possible, different only when necessary.

• Simplification Planned for the 1999 Pulse– Limiting supplemental (non-core) – Reducing demographic questions – Simplifying report definitions – Reducing number of preliminary reports

• Growth is natural - Pruning is necessary.

Causes of Chaos

• Speed of Change–In the external environment

–Of management expectations• “Chaos Among our Customers”

• Increased Complexity–Globalization

–Centralization

Reactions to Chaos

Ineffective Reactions• Panic• Over-planning

Effective Reactions• Simplification• Effective Management of Chaos• Speed (Electronic Surveying)

From: To:

Model Scientific Model:Understand, Predict &

Control

Political Model: Analyze Possibilities &

Influence OutcomesPlanning Plan, Then Manage to Plan

Contingency PlanningMinimize Time in PlanMissing a Deadline is

Catastrophe

Plan, But Expect Change+ Issue Management Plan Slack Time Use Internal Deadlines as a

Tool For InfluenceStaff Skills Technical Expertise

Accept Direction+ Durability and Innovation Accept Empowerment

LeadershipFocus

Manage PeoplePlan ProjectsImage of Control

+ Lead People+ Manage Projects Image of Calm in the Storm

Effective Management of Chaos

Survey Design•Timing•Participation•Questions

Translation

ID SurveyParticipants

ID ManagersReceiving Reports

OrganizationMapping

SurveyAdministration

ReportDelivery•Browser•Print File

ReportDefinition

VendorProcessesData

Ford Intranet Serverwww.pulse.ford.comDatabase/Software•Text - Questions, instructions, menus, etc.•Organization Mapping Information•Report Definitions•Processed Results (Group Data)

Vendor ServerInside Ford firewall•Oracle Database•Raw Survey Data•Processing and Data Cleaning Rules

Process Flow =

2-Way Data =Exchange

1-Way Data =Exchange

Ford Pulse: Web Process Flow