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THE USE OF FACEBOOK IN SOCIAL RESEARCH. THE VIRTUAL SNOWBALL METHOD APPLIED TO THE STUDY OF
IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS IN SPAIN
Fabiola Baltar, PHDUniversidad Nacional de Mar del Plata
Mar del Plata- [email protected]
Ignasi Brunet Icart, PHDUniversitat Rovira i Virgili
Tarragona- [email protected]
VIRTUAL PRESENTATION
THE USE OF FACEBOOK IN SOCIAL RESEARCH. THE VIRTUAL SNOWBALL METHOD APPLIED TO THE STUDY
OF IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS IN SPAIN
WHAT ABOUT RESEARCH ...?
Many activities take place daily in an “online”
reality, where individuals act and express
thoughts, intentions and opinions about
events related with their “real” world (e-
commerce; e-banking; e-learning, etc).
However, the question about whether Internet
can be a viable scientific research tool is still
under discussion.
THE USE OF FACEBOOK IN SOCIAL RESEARCH. THE VIRTUAL SNOWBALL METHOD APPLIED TO THE STUDY
OF IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS IN SPAIN
We consider that Internet opens new ways to
investigate in social and behavioural sciences
because there are many scientific questions
that do not look for generalized results but
representative ones. For example:
“HARD TO REACH” POPULATION
SAMPLING
THE USE OF FACEBOOK IN SOCIAL RESEARCH. THE VIRTUAL SNOWBALL METHOD APPLIED TO THE STUDY
OF IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS IN SPAIN
@ We propose to apply Social Networking Sites
(Facebook) and online questionnaires to contact
Argentinean entrepreneurs living in Spain.
@ The characteristic of this target population is that
60 % live in Spain as European citizens. This group is
not administratively visible in Spanish Statistics as
Argentinean population, so it is impossible to build a
sample frame to obtain a probabilistic sample.
@ The novelty of the study is the incorporation of
Facebook and online questionnaires to improve the
efficacy of the snowball sampling and data collection.
THE USE OF FACEBOOK IN SOCIAL RESEARCH. THE VIRTUAL SNOWBALL METHOD APPLIED TO THE STUDY
OF IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS IN SPAIN
@ Flexibility (e.g. language) and time-efficiency (collect/process data).
@ Questionnaires are more attractive and easier to use.
@ Respondents can answer at a convenient time for themselves.
@ Researcher instantaneously has all the data stored in a data base.
@ Surveys can include all kinds of questions (dichotomous, scales, etc.).
@ Lower costs.
@ It is easier to follow-up non respondents.
@ Respondents answer in the order intended by the study designer.
@ Respondents answer only questions that are specifically design to them.
ADVANTAGES OF USING ONLINE METHODOLOGIES
THE USE OF FACEBOOK IN SOCIAL RESEARCH. THE VIRTUAL SNOWBALL METHOD APPLIED TO THE STUDY
OF IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS IN SPAIN
@ The perception that it is a “spam” email affects non response rate.
@ Selection bias related with internet population (gender, age, etc.).
@ The sample selection methods are “volunteer” samples.
@ Respondent lack of online experience
@ Unclear answering instructions because they are self-administered.
@ Impersonal, there is usually no human contact in online surveys.
@ Privacy related with how data will be used.
DISADVANTAGES OF USING ONLINE METHODOLOGIES
THE USE OF FACEBOOK IN SOCIAL RESEARCH. THE VIRTUAL SNOWBALL METHOD APPLIED TO THE STUDY
OF IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS IN SPAIN
@ We explored 52 virtual groups
@ We contacted their members sending them private messages
@ We extended the sample size, asking each member if they knew anyone else (online or offline contact).
@ We obtained 1103 responses (53.2%), of which 343 were entrepreneurs (31%).
@ An online questionnaire was sent to these entrepreneurs, of whom 214 answered (62.3%).
THE CASE: Virtual Snowball applied to the study of immigrants entrepreneurs in Spain (recruiting sample)
Sample Response Non response TOTAL
Facebook snowball sampling 1023 (53,6%) 887 (46,4%) 1910 (100%)
Traditional snowball sampling 80 (49,1%) 83 (50,9% 163 (100%)
TOTAL 1103 970 2073
THE USE OF FACEBOOK IN SOCIAL RESEARCH. THE VIRTUAL SNOWBALL METHOD APPLIED TO THE STUDY
OF IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS IN SPAIN
The response rate and representativeness of the sample
Sample * (99% significance) Response Non response TOTAL
Facebook snowball sampling 154 (77%) 46 (23%) 200 (100%)
Traditional snowball sampling
60 (42%) 83 (58%) 143 (100%)
TOTAL 214 129 343REGION POPULATION SAMPLEANDALUCÍA 15.38% 14%ARAGÓN 1.37% 1.86%ASTURIAS 1.49% 0%ISLAS BALEARES 8.23% 8.87%ISLAS CANARIAS 6.94% 0.93%CANTABRIA 0.61% 0%GALICIA 5.71% 4.20%GRANADA 1.86% 0%CASTILLA LA MANCHA
1.61% 0.46%
CATALUÑA 23.49% 23.36%EXTREMADURA 0.43% 0.46%MADRID 14.5% 26.63%MURCIA 1.42% 1.40%NAVARRA 0.72% 0%PAÍS VASCO 1.98% 0.93%LA RIOJA 0.5% 0%CEUTA 0% 0%MELILLA 0% 0%VALENCIA 13.63% 14%NON RESPONSE 3.73%TOTAL 290.281 214
62% of responses
Correlation Index 0.92
THE USE OF FACEBOOK IN SOCIAL RESEARCH. THE VIRTUAL SNOWBALL METHOD APPLIED TO THE STUDY
OF IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS IN SPAIN
Online survey and the quality of information
DATA
INSTANT COLLECTION
@ 24 HOURS ACCESS
@ FILTER QUESTIONS
@ INSTANT CONTACT IN CASE OF ABANDON OR WRONG ANSWERS
@ OBTEIN THE RESULTS WHILE THE DATA ARE COLLECTED
CONTROL
THE USE OF FACEBOOK IN SOCIAL RESEARCH. THE VIRTUAL SNOWBALL METHOD APPLIED TO THE STUDY
OF IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS IN SPAIN
CONCLUSION
@ We conclude that using Facebook to explore hard to reach
population (Argentinean entrepreneurs in Spain) can save time
and costs, extent the size of the sample and the geographical
scope of the study.
@ It is important to consider that virtual research needs to
apply the same methodological steps to guarantee the
scientific rigor and validation.
@ Virtual networks are dynamic (e.g. people enter and exit the
net; information is temporally online). It necessary to define
time boundaries for the data collection, build the sample frame
with information of the units of observation and save the
documentation that supports the research results.
THE USE OF FACEBOOK IN SOCIAL RESEARCH. THE VIRTUAL SNOWBALL METHOD APPLIED TO THE STUDY
OF IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS IN SPAIN
CONCLUSION
We believe that online research can be as serious as
online transactions, political campaigns or learning
courses are. Scientific social research understands
reality and its changes. Nowadays it is impossible to
understand human behaviour and its context without
taking account of this virtual reality.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION
THE USE OF FACEBOOK IN SOCIAL RESEARCH. THE VIRTUAL SNOWBALL METHOD APPLIED TO THE STUDY
OF IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS IN SPAIN
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