INTERVIEWING COSTS IN SURVEY RESEARCH.

By Prof. Charles S. Mayer(Tuck School). Ann Arbor, Mich.: Graduate School of Business Administration,Univ. of Michigan, 1964. 114 pp. $4.00.

How can the manager of a field force of geographically scattered interviewers engaged in market research choose among alternate plans of sample design and field procedure to obtain the optimum combination of low costs and high response rates? As described in Professor Mayer's detailed program, he can construct a simulation model of a system which will act as a computer laboratory for testing various combinations of factors which affect costs and yields. These variables include degree of urbanization of the area, day of week and time of day of interviewing, travel distance, and results of previous unsuccessful attempts to interview designated respondents. (Respondent was busy, not at home, or refused.)

Professor Mayer, who is Assistant Professor of Marketing at Tuck School, prepared this scholarly analysis of a complex problem at the University of Michigan's Survey Research Center. He has included a number of probability tables based on Survey Research Center data which should be applicable for anyone dealing with sample design in market research. In addition, his book will be stimulating and valuable to all users of market research who are looking for a better means of understanding and controlling their field interviewing costs.

Vice President - Corporate Development Audit & Surveys Co.