Title: Estimation of manpower requirement for field research: a sample survey approach

Authors: Pathik Mandal; Tirthankar Dasgupta; S.V.S.N. Murthy

Addresses: Statistical Quality Control and Operations Research Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, 203, B.T. Road, Kolkata 700108, India ' Department of Statistics, Harvard University, 1, Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02128, USA ' United Health Group Information Services, Hitech City, Madhapur, Hyderabad-500081, India

Abstract: A marketing research organisation employed a large number of field research officers (FRO) for collection of data from the field. A questionnaire-based sample survey approach was used for estimating the optimal number of FROs required for a given workload. The important design inputs for the main country-wide sample survey were obtained through a pilot survey. The data obtained from the main survey were used to obtain accurate estimates of the three components of total audit time: 1) actual audit time; 2) travel time; 3) extra time. These estimates along with the estimate of optimum workload were then used to determine the total number of FROs required. Regression models were also developed for predicting the number of FROs required for a given future workload.

Keywords: manpower modelling; audit process; questionnaire method; stratified sampling; measurement error; post stratification; regression modelling; manpower requirements; field research officers; data collection; travel time; extra time; optimum workload.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISE.2015.069915

International Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering, 2015 Vol.20 No.3, pp.281 - 305

Published online: 16 Jun 2015 *

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