How do we reach them? Comparing random samples from mobile and landline phones

Quantitative studies of nascent entrepreneurs such as GEM and PSED are required to generate their samples by screening the adult population, usually by phone. Phone survey research has recently been challenged by shifting patterns of ownership and response rates of landline versus mobile phones. We report a comparison between samples of mobile and landline phones for the Australian GEM 2010 study. We find a substantial response bias towards younger, male and metropolitan respondents for mobile phones – far greater than explained by ownership rates. We also found this biases the estimates of the prevalence of early stage entrepreneurship by both samples, even when each sample is weighted to match the Australian population.