Although the primary role of the computer has been in processing and analysis of survey data, it has increasingly been used in data collection. Computer surveys are not exempt from a common problem: some refuse to participate. Many researchers and practitioners indicate the refusal problem is less for computer surveys, perhaps due to the novelty of the method. What has not been investigated is the refusal problem when on-line surveys are no longer novel. This research study examines the use of one form of computer-assisted data collection, the electronic or on-line survey, as an organizational research tool. The study utilized historical response data and administered an on-line survey to individuals known to be cooperative or uncooperative in other on-line surveys. It investigated nonresponse bias and response effects of typical responders, periodic participants, and typical refusers within a sample of corporate employees in a computer-interactive interviewing environment utilizing on-line surveys. The items measured included: participation, respondent characteristics, response speed, interview length, perceived versus actual interview length, quantity of data, item nonresponse, item response bias, consistency of response, extremity of response, and early and late response. It also evaluated factors reported as important when deciding to participate, preferred data collection method, and preferred time of display. Past participation, attitudes toward on-line organizational surveys, response burden, and response error were assessed. The overall completion rate of 55.7% was achieved in this study. All effort was made to encourage cooperation of all groups, including an invitation to participate, token, on-line pre-notification, 800 number support, two on-line reminders, support of temporary exit, and a paper follow-up survey. A significant difference in the participation of the three groups was found. Only three demographic variables were found to be significant. No significant differences were found in speed of response, interview length, quantity, item nonresponse, item response bias, consistency, and extremity. Significant differences were found in the perceived and actual times to complete the survey.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Caring relationships established between nurse managers and staff nurses promote positive work environments. However, research about staff nurses' perceptions of nurse manager caring behaviors is limited. A 94-item Caring Assessment Tool-Administration (CAT-adm©) was developed to measure staff nurses' perceptions of nurse managers' caring behaviors; however, it lacked robust psychometric testing. This study was undertaken to establish the CAT-adm© survey as a reliable and valid tool to measure staff nurses' perceptions of nurse managers' caring behaviors. The Quality-Caring Model® (QCM®) served as the theoretical framework. Specific aims were to 1) evaluate construct validity of the CAT-adm© survey by describing factors that account for variance in staff nurses' perceptions of nurse manager caring, 2) estimate internal consistency, and 3) conduct item reduction analysis. Four research questions were: 1) Will the factor structure of observed data fit an 8-factor solution? 2) What is the internal consistency reliability of the CAT- adm©? 3) What items can be reduced while maintaining an acceptable factor structure? and 4) What are staff nurses' perceptions of nurse manager caring behaviors? A cross-sectional descriptive design was used. A sample of 703 staff nurses from Midwestern, Midatlantic and Southern Regions of the U.S. completed the CAT-adm© survey electronically. Analysis included Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), univariate analysis, and descriptive statistics. CFA did not support an 8-factor solution. EFA supported a two-factor solution and demonstrated significant shared variance between the two factors. This shared variance supported a one-factor solution that could conceptually be labeled Caring Behaviors. Random selection reduced the scale to 25-items while maintaining a Cronbach's Alpha of .98. Using the new 25-item scale, the composite score mean of staff nurses' perceptions of nurse manager caring behaviors indicated a moderately high level of caring. Suggestions for nursing administration, nurse manager practice, leadership, education and for future research were given. The new 25-item CAT-adm© survey has acceptable reliability and validity. The 25-item CAT-adm© survey provides hospital administrators, nurse managers, and researchers with an instrument to collect valuable information about the caring behaviors used by nurse managers in relationship with staff nurses.