Why Innovation Is Difficult in Government Surveys

Don A. Dillman

Abstract:
Needed innovation and change in government survey organizations are often difficult to accomplish, especially for dealing with measurement and nonresponse survey error. It is argued here that three important contributors to this difficulty are (1) the necessary co-existence in such organizations of research and operations cultures; (2) major differences in the dominant value systems of those cultures; and (3) the difficulty of resolving those differences in hierarchically-oriented organizations. Four steps towards a solution to these innovation barriers are recommended.

Keywords:
Innovation; work cultures; organizational hierarchy; survey error; government surveys.