Management and Organizational Practices Survey Plan

The Census Bureau plans to conduct additional research under the generic clearance for questionnaire pretesting research (OMB number 0607-0725). We will conduct usability testing of the Internet reporting application for the Management and Organizational Practices Survey (MOPS). The MOPS self-administered paper questionnaire was pre-tested via cognitive interviews in June through September 2010 (OMB clearance request submitted on April 14, 2010). The electronic Centurion form is planned to be released in late April 2011.

The MOPS is a one-time supplement to the Annual Survey of Manufactures that will be collected by the U.S. Census Bureau in a joint partnership with academic researchers who have support through a National Science Foundation grant. The purpose of this self-administered survey is to create a large-scale, cross-sector management and organizational practice panel dataset. The resulting data can be matched to numerous existing Census datasets on productivity, employment, technology, energy use and indicators of worker well-being. The data will be available to researchers with special sworn status on approved projects through the Census Research Data Centers. The data will also be available as aggregated statistics on a public website, and will benefit a wide group of researchers, including U.S. policy-makers trying to stimulate U.S. economic growth.

Usability testing of the Internet application in Centurion will focus on issues such as the layout of questions and screens, the navigation within and between screens, and edits. Copies of the draft screens, as well as the first draft of the testing protocol, are enclosed.

In March 2011, we will conduct one round of usability interviews with respondents from up to 10 manufacturing establishments in a location to be determined. Findings will be used to revise the MOPS Internet application.

Interviews will be conducted at the manufacturing establishments by staff from the Response Improvement Research Staff within the Economic Directorate of the Census Bureau. Subject area specialists from the Census Bureau’s Manufacturing and Construction Division (MCD) staff or the Center for Economic Studies (CES) will accompany the usability tester on most, if not all, of the interviews. They will assist with respondent debriefings, especially in cases where additional clarification of the subject matter is required.

Interviews will be audio recorded, with the participants’ permission, to aid researchers in accurately reporting findings and recommendations.

After respondents are recruited, participants will receive follow-up reminders about their appointments by fax, telephone, or e-mail via the Census Bureau’s Secure Messaging Center. Participants will be informed that their response is voluntary and that the information they provide is confidential and will be seen only by Census Bureau or special sworn employees involved in the research project. We will not be providing monetary incentives to participants in this study.

We estimate that it will be necessary to interview only one respondent at each establishment. We estimate the length of the interviews will average 1 hour. Thus, the maximum estimated burden for this research is 10 hours.

The contact person for questions regarding data collection and statistical aspects of the design of this research is:

Alfred D. Tuttle

Response Improvement Research Staff

U.S. Census Bureau

Washington, D.C. 20233

(301) 763-7809

[email protected]