Surveys and data sets

Surveys and large data sets are an important aspect of social entrepreneurship research and practice. Surveys and large data sets are usually an important aspect of program evaluation as well as opportunity analysis for social entrepreneurship undertakings. Large-scale surveys and datasets may also show a need for a social intervention or provide support for external funding of social entrepreneurship. Examples include the evaluation of HIV/AIDS campaigns in health (Lombardo and Leger, 2007),other health policies, promoting social development and protection of the environment (Andreasen, 1995).It is important, therefore, that researchers in social entrepreneurship have an understanding of how to conduct survey research, and how to interpret results from large data sets. This chapter provides a brief outline of survey research in the context of social entrepreneurship, along with a guide to how to conduct it. The chapter is organised as follows: it introduces the nature of surveys and their design, reviews the nature of errors in survey research and presents the different ways to conduct surveys.The chapter then details the six steps of measurement, and the nine steps of survey design. Sampling, fieldwork and editing are then introduced.Finally, the chapter gives overviews of some of the key tools of data analysis.Examples are provided throughout.