National Survey of Vacancies in the Private (Non ... - Forfás

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2.1 The Questionnaire 2. SURVEY DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION In this section we explain how the survey was designed and outline our approach to the analysis of the data. First, we consider the structure and content of the questionnaire; second, we discuss sample design and response rates; third, we consider the way in which the data were re-weighted. This third section presents a detailed breakdown, in terms of NACE composition, of the sectoral classification adopted throughout the report. Finally, in the fourth section we discuss the way in which the survey was implemented. The questionnaire was designed to collect details on, inter alia, current employment size and structure; projected employment; and vacancies. In the context of vacancies a large proportion of the survey form was devoted to recording information on the nature of difficult-to-fill vacancies both those which are currently being experienced as well as those which were experienced over the twelve months preceding the survey. The questionnaires contained a total of 9 sections as follows: A. Background details and classificatory variables; B. Current employment size and structure; C. Level of current vacancies and incidence of difficult-to-fill vacancies; D. Employment projections for one year’s time; E. Nature, characteristics and consequences of the current difficult-to-fill vacancies; F. Incidence, nature, and consequences of difficult-to-fill vacancies; G. Difficulties in retaining current staff; H. Firms’ perceptions of changes in skill levels required to ensure the efficient running of their company; I. The incidence, level and nature of training undertaken by companies. A common questionnaire was used to survey both the public and private sectors with some questions amended to take account of upper limits on the number who can be employed in public sector organisations. In the 2001/02 survey firms were asked to provide for each broad occupational category information on the job titles of the types of vacancies which currently exist along with the number of each type of vacancy. This required an increase in the number of questions relating to type of vacancy. In order to accommodate this increase it was necessary to drop some of the questions asked in previous surveys relating to reasons for problems in filling vacancies, reasons for difficulties in retaining staff, and type of training provided. The sample size was increased substantially from about 2,900 firms in the 1999/00 survey to almost 3,900 in the current survey to permit analysis of the vacancies data for three regions: Dublin (city and county), the Border, Midlands and Western Region (BMW), and the Southern and Eastern region (S&E). 3
4 NATIONAL SURVEY OF VACANCIES IN THE PRIVATE NON-AGRICULTURAL SECTOR 2001/02 2.2 Sample Design and Response Rates The objective of the survey was to provide a representative picture of the issues surrounding vacancies among private sector employing entities. The sample used came from two sources. First, we approached all firms which we successfully interviewed in the second round of the survey in 1999/00. A total of 969 of these firms was found to still be in business and so were included in the valid target sample. In addition, a fresh random stratified target sample of just over 2,900 private sector businesses was selected from lists of firms which are maintained in The Economic and Social Research Institute. Prior to sample selection these firms were stratified according to sector, size (number of employees) and region. A total of 8 sectors was used as follows: traditional manufacturing, hi-tech manufacturing, construction, wholesale/retail, property/renting/business services, finance/insurance/ banking/computer services, transport/personal/other services. Within each sector firms were also stratified according to number of employees. Firms were stratified by region within each of these broader stratifications. A disproportionate systematic sample was then selected with a view to ensuring that each sector/size stratum would be reasonably represented in terms of absolute number of cases in the final effective sample for analysis and reporting. These two sources left us with a total target sample of 3,880 firms for interview. The response outcomes are as outlined in Table 2.1 below. 2 From this one can see that a total of 1,635 firms successfully completed the questionnaire and the report is based on the analysis of their responses. This means that the overall effective sample response rate is 42 per cent. The response among the sample from the 1999/00 survey was 60 per cent while that from the additional fresh sample was 36 per cent. These figures are largely in line with what one would expect from a general, 3 nationally representative survey of firms in the target sample. Only 4 per cent of all firms explicitly refused to participate in the survey. A substantial proportion of firms, however, did not respond to the survey and their non-responses could be interpreted as a de facto refusal. Table 2.1: Response Outcomes from 2001/02 Survey of Vacancies Sample from 1999/00 Fresh Sample for Total Sample Survey 2001/02 No. of Cases Per Cent No. of Cases Per Cent No. of Cases Per Cent Successfully Completed 586 60 1,049 36 1,635 42 Partially Completed but Unusable 13 1 26 1 39 1 Non Response 345 36 1,695 58 2,040 53 Refusal 25 3 141 5 166 4 Total 969 100 2,911 100 3,880 100 2.3 Re-weighting the Data Prior to analysis, the 1,635 questionnaires from responding firms were statistically adjusted in order to ensure that the structure or composition of the effective sample is in line with the structure or composition of the population from which it has been selected according to a number of important classificatory variables such as size, sector etc. The re-weighting of the data is necessary for two reasons. 2 This table excludes businesses which were initially selected but which were identified in the course of fieldwork as: having gone out of business; unknown at address; not relevant. 3 A sample survey of firms from the membership lists of a representative body or industry group would achieve a slightly higher response rate. For example, the survey conducted by the ESRI on a sample of firms from the Forfás list of client companies in 1997 achieved a response rate of 51 per cent. This higher response rate in that earlier survey is attributable to the fact that the survey was being conducted for Forfás on a sample of its own client companies in contrast to a general sample of all firms with no specific link back to the commissioning body or research organisation.
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DIFFICULTIES IN RETAINING STAFF AND
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6.3 Summary DIFFICULTIES IN RETAINI
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REGIONAL VARIATIONS 57 percentage p
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Table 7.3: Summary of Labour Requir
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REGIONAL VARIATIONS 61 Table 7.4: F
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REGIONAL VARIATIONS 63 the vacancie
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REGIONAL VARIATIONS 65 Table 7.9: C
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REGIONAL VARIATIONS 67 in the Dubli
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TRAINING 69 There has, however, bee
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TRAINING 71 the differences between
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9.1 Background 9.2 Size and Forecas
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9.6 Regional Trends MAIN FINDINGS 7
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R P E G F SKILLS NEEDS EPORTS UBLIS
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