survey participation?
 

(Originally posted in Air Canada forum to gauge initial reponse, which was favourable!)

Hi everyone

I have a question, and please do tell me if this is completely inappropriate for flyertalk.com.

First, let me come clean. I am a lecturer at a University in New Zealand (although originally from Canada). My research interests generally revolve around tourism, but I have lately developed an interest in business travel. I should say that I frequent flyertalk because I am also quite addicted to achieving status on AP. My wife laughs at me. For lots of things, not just hanging around here.

Here's what I am proposing, and I will only go ahead with it if enough people are interested. I'd like to do some research on FF programmes in term of a) the most important benefits as you see them, b) how responsive certain FF programmes are, and c) some general 'demographic' type information (i.e,. how long you've belonged to the programme, avg annual mileage accumulations, etc.). Of course, you will remain completely anonymous as the reseach does NOT depend on your actual identity. (In fact, no research project needs to know who people are by name - it's just not relevant as the data are aggregated in the long run!)

Anyway, now I know everyone hates surveys (I generally dislike conducting them - I was trained as an anthropologist, so qualitative interviews are my preference), but if you are interested in filling out a two-page questionnaire, please do respond in this thread. At this stage, I haven't even come close to actually designing the questionnaire, so my intent here is to simply gauge whether or not my "universe" (i.e., you folks) would be interested in participating.

I realise that the purpose of flyertalk.com is not to solicit information such as this, but any publications arising out of this research I would gladly make available to anyone. At this stage, I would likely submit the final paper to a journal such as "World Transport Policy and Practice," "Transportation Research," or the "Journal of Air Transport Management".

Thanks in advance.

David
Dunedin, NZ

[This message has been edited by DavidNZ (edited 01-31-2002).]

David:

I have long thought there's a great anthropolological study in the appeal of frequent-traveller schemes: the quest for status via quantifiable, programmatic means, the deep absorption in tiers and recognition levels, the disproportionate lust for "validation badges" (special luggage tags, etc.) of comparatively little real value... it has created an obsessively tiered, compulsive self-organizing, highly intelligent international subculture. (Of which I am a Platinum card-carrying member.)

I wish I had time to run the study and write the thesis myself, but feel free to email me for help with yours.

Count me in.

Bear: I totally agree. It would make a wonderful study. Something to consider in the long run. In this instance, I hope to get a feel for what issues FF consider to be the most important in terms of FF programmes.

*sigh*

So many ideas, so little time (and money!)

Cheers

David
Dunedin, NZ

I would be happy to particiapte http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

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lennon

Me too.

Maybe you could get a grant and then offer FF miles for survey completion. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif Just a thought!

Count me in.

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Always remember you're unique, just like everyone else.

Glad to help!

Wouldn't this be more appropriate for a study in Abnormal Psychology than Anthropology http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

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Middle_Seat

[This message has been edited by Middle_Seat (edited 01-31-2002).]

I'll participate

I'll participate.

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Robert

I'd be happy to participate/help. The e-mail link above this post works.

However, you'd have to account for the fact that your respondents are (a) from among the weirdos who frequent this place and (b) self-selected to boot. Your results could still be meaningful, but may not generalize. Demographic matching won't fix that; you'd need psychographic data, which is harder to get.

If you'd like someone to come to N.Z. to chat about it, I'd have an excuse for a mileage run!

I'm game - Count me in!

DD

I'll do it

How many miles do we get for participating? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

I agree that this would be a highly interesting study... curious to see the results. Sign me up (miles or not). http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Sounds good.

- Sameer

I would be happy to participate!

I'd be glad to particiate.

I'll be happy to participate in both the survey you are proposing and in qualitative interviews (if you decide to conduct such).

Count me in! I am also a university person, I can help you with the financial aspects, if you like.

I'll do it.

Sure, why not.

He who dies with the most miles is still dead.

Im in.

Glad to help...e-mail link above works for me. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

David,
Sounds great, count me in!!
Michael


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me too.

My survey topic (no longer very applicable)--the power of suggestion vis a vis the beverage/food cart.

Many a time the cart has gone by, I think I want a _______, but hearing someone in the row above who orders something interesting makes me change my order.

I rarely would change my order at, say, a fast food place. What is it about sitting on an airplane???

JL

Me too!

In

I'll participate, but I'm curious how you will define your population - since this clearly won't be a random sample of frequent travelers if you get it mostly from FlyerTalk.

If you need any help analyzing the survey data, let me know, it is what I've done for many years.

In too

I would certainly hope that such a "study" would take samples from other sources than FlyerTalk. I can't help but think those of us here on FlyerTalk are a select few which in no way represent an "average" sample of frequent flyers. I'd have to say this would be the place for a study on mile/point obsessed individuals (of which I am one).

Hi again folks

Thanks for the overwhelming response! Bloody fantastic. The next step is constructing the questionnaire. What I'd like to do is get one put on-line, which would make it easier for everyone. I guess what I would have to do is post the website to the forum.

A couple of people bring up some interesting issues above. The population, or universe, issue is one that kind of, but not overly, worries me. My population is really, as someone pointed out (forgot to quote, sorry), people who hang around flyertalk. I won't get a balanced perspective from, say AP Basic members. I'm half-thinking that this is fine. I could just as easily hire a mail panel company administer 20000 questionnaires around the US to a representative pop, but the incidence of capturing some, say, *AG, would be pretty low.

As for representative samples, that would be pretty much impossible from flyertalk.com. I don't know the demographic make-up of the population (those who visit flyertalk), so I wouldn't be able to weight my final sample to the demographics of the population. If anything, it would be a convience/snowball sample as applied to a quantitative study.

So, I'm in Perth for a week and will brainstorm about questions, layout, etc. I'd like to get all of this done by early Spring (northern hemisphere).

Thanks again, team!

Cheers

David

That reminds me of one of my favorite scenes in any movie.

"Abby."
"Abby who?"
"Abby Normal."

And as someone holding a psychology degree who remembers how difficult it was to find subjects for surveys, I'd be more than happy to help out. Besides, I think Kiwis are cool, having met a bunch of you folks last August.

[This message has been edited by mdtony (edited 02-02-2002).]

mdtony: http://www.ladyofthecake.com/mel/frank/yfsounds.htm

DavidNZ: Would be glad to help out.

Count me in too! My bags are packed in case you need to have me come to NZ! You know, to show you my picture ID or something...

Bob

With the number of people who have volunteered to come to New Zealand to help with this (y.t. included), do I see a FlyerTalk gathering coming on? (It's close enough to what some of us do for a living that, if we spent an hour going over the surveys, they might be able to treat it as a business expense.)

sure, I'll help if need be...

David:

I'd like to help you with this project. I have some good ideas on the research methodology, but the e-mail I sent you bounced back.

Is your profile out of date?

Please send me an e-mail.

I hope that you all will also participate in my surveys. Soon the people can vote for the best Airline, Best Airport and all the other issues. I had some problems with Skytrax but they are all beeing solved now.

The site has been approved.
alasta.nl

Thx