Online surveys have become a popular method for data gathering for many reasons, including low costs and the ability to collect data rapidly. However, online data collection is often conducted without adequate attention to implementation details. One example is the frequent use of the forced answering option, which forces the respondent to answer each question in order to proceed through the questionnaire. The avoidance of missing data is often the idea behind the use of the forced answering option. However, we suggest that the costs of a reactance effect in terms of quality reduction and unit nonresponse may be high because respondents typically have plausible reasons for not answering questions. The objective of the study reported in this paper was to test the influence of forced answering on dropout rates and data quality. The results show that requiring participants answer every question increases dropout rates and decreases quality of answers. Our findings suggest that the desire for a complete data set has to be balanced against the consequences of reduced data quality.

Forced answering (FA) is a frequent answer format in online surveys that forces respondents to answer each question in order to proceed through the questionnaire. The underlying rationale is to decrease the amount of missing data. Despite its popularity, empirical research on the impact of FA on respondents’ answering behavior is scarce and has generated mixed findings. In fact, some quasi-experimental studies showed that FA has detrimental consequences such as increased survey dropout rates and faking behavior. Notably, a theoretical psychological process driving these effects has hitherto not been identified. Therefore, the aim of the present study was twofold: First, we sought to experimentally replicate detrimental effects of FA on online questionnaire data quality. Second, we tried to uncover an explanatory psychological mechanism. Specifically, we hypothesized that FA effects are mediated through reactance. Zero-order effects showed that FA increased state reactance and questionnaire dropout as well as reduced answer length in open-ended questions. Results of survival and mediation analyses corroborate negative FA effects on data quality and the proposed psychological process.

Within the context of increasing international labour migration, this article analyses immigrants' chances of being hired in a foreign country by identifying key criteria in employers' recruitment decisions. We focus on the German labour market because the prospering economy and demographic change led to an increase in the number of vacant positions, particularly in medium-skilled occupations. The German government, therefore, facilitated labour market access for foreign skilled workers with the intention of minimising shortages on the labour market by means of evaluating the foreign education investments of individuals. However, employers' perception of the labour market integration of foreign skilled workers has barely been examined. In order to directly consider human resources professionals, we use a factorial survey experiment to simulate different hiring scenarios for applicants from Germany and both European and non-European countries. Our design can distinguish between the effects of external circumstances, such as applicant shortages, and applicant-specific characteristics, including nationality, foreign certificates or language skills. The findings reveal that immigrants experience greater chances of being hired in the German labour market in understaffed occupations and in businesses which expect future skill shortages. Language skills and country-specific work experience also substantially improve immigrants' chances of being hired. However, foreign qualifications are viewed more critically during recruitment processes.

Zusammenfassung Die Möglichkeiten der digitalen Vernetzung und standortunabhängigen Kommunikation in der Arbeitswelt lassen eine zunehmende Bedeutung von Homeoffice erwarten. Dabei sind die Chancen auf einen Homeofficezugang unter Beschäftigten ungleich verteilt. Bei der Erklärung dieser Chancenungleichheit kommt der Ebene des ausgeübten Berufs eine eigenständige Bedeutung zu. Die Analysen auf Basis der repräsentativen Erwerbstätigenbefragung des Bundesinstituts für Berufsbildung (BIBB) und der Bundesanstalt für Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin (BAuA) aus dem Jahr 2018 zeigen, dass es innerhalb der Berufe überwiegend Tätigkeiten sind, die den Zugang zum Homeoffice prägen. Die Chance auf einen Homeofficezugang steigt mit dem Ausmaß an kognitiven Tätigkeiten bei der Arbeit, während manuelle Tätigkeiten zu einer Verringerung dieser Chance führen. Die Ergebnisse verweisen darüber hinaus auf die Bedeutsamkeit spezifischer Einzeltätigkeiten, die einen Zugang zum Homeoffice ermöglichen (z. B. E-Mails bearbeiten, Forschen oder auch Beraten, Recherchieren) oder eher verhindern (z. B. Bewirten, Reinigen oder Pflegen). Dabei hängt der Einfluss beruflicher Tätigkeiten auf den Homeofficezugang von der Betriebsgröße ab. Mit diesen Erkenntnissen schließt der Online-Anhang: www.kzfss.uni-koeln.de/sites/kzfss/pdf/Mergener.pdf Anmerkung Aus Gründen der besseren Lesbarkeit wird im Text das generische Maskulinum im geschlechtsneutralen Sinne verwendet. Frauen sind aber selbstverständlich stets eingeschlossen, außer dies wird explizit erwähnt. In Fällen, in denen geschlechtsneutrale Begriffe existieren, wurde sich bemüht, diese Begriffe auch zu verwenden.