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A behavioral insights approach to recruiting entrepreneurs for an academic study during the COVID-19 pandemic

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Listed:
  • Tracy, Elizabeth M.
  • Billingsley, Joseph
  • Pollack, Jeffrey M.
  • Barber, Dennis
  • Beorchia, Ace
  • Carr, Jon C.
  • Gonzalez, Gabe
  • Harris, Michael L.
  • Michaelis, Timothy L.
  • Morrow, Grayson
  • Phillips, Duygu
  • Rutherford, Matthew W.
  • Sheats, Lewis

Abstract

What should researchers say when recruiting entrepreneurs to participate in their study? Using a sample of entrepreneurs (N = 1,450) who were being asked to participate in an academic research project, we conducted an experiment to determine recruitment message efficacy. Drawing on best practices from the behavioral insights literature, we developed different email message recruitment statements that were randomly assigned across four phases of our experiment. Results indicate that a message grounded in the “descriptive norms” (i.e., social norms) approach resulted in the highest percentage of participants who clicked on the link to participate in our online survey. We discuss the theoretical as well as practical implications of our work.

Suggested Citation

  • Tracy, Elizabeth M. & Billingsley, Joseph & Pollack, Jeffrey M. & Barber, Dennis & Beorchia, Ace & Carr, Jon C. & Gonzalez, Gabe & Harris, Michael L. & Michaelis, Timothy L. & Morrow, Grayson & Philli, 2021. "A behavioral insights approach to recruiting entrepreneurs for an academic study during the COVID-19 pandemic," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 16(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:jobuve:v:16:y:2021:i:c:s2352673421000652
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbvi.2021.e00287
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Erica Rose Denhoff & Carly E Milliren & Sarah D de Ferranti & Sarah K Steltz & Stavroula K Osganian, 2015. "Factors Associated with Clinical Research Recruitment in a Pediatric Academic Medical Center—A Web-Based Survey," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(10), pages 1-19, October.
    2. Paul R. Steffens & Clinton S. Weeks & Per Davidsson & Lauren Isaak, 2014. "Shouting from the Ivory Tower: A Marketing Approach to Improve Communication of Academic Research to Entrepreneurs," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 38(2), pages 399-426, March.
    3. Valentin Amrhein & Sander Greenland & Blake McShane, 2019. "Scientists rise up against statistical significance," Nature, Nature, vol. 567(7748), pages 305-307, March.
    4. Anderson,Stephen J. & Lazicky,Christy Marie & Zia,Bilal Husnain, 2019. "Measuring the Unmeasured : Combining Technology and Behavioral Insights to Improve Measurement of Business Outcomes," Policy Research Working Paper Series 8836, The World Bank.
    5. Raisa B Gul & Parveen A Ali, 2010. "Clinical trials: the challenge of recruitment and retention of participants," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(1‐2), pages 227-233, January.
    6. Wennberg, Karl & Anderson, Brian S. & McMullen, Jeffrey, 2019. "2 Editorial: Enhancing Quantitative Theory-Testing Entrepreneurship Research," Ratio Working Papers 323, The Ratio Institute.
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    1. Billingsley, Joseph & Pollack, Jeffrey M. & Michaelis, Timothy L. & Tracy, Elizabeth M. & Barber, Dennis & Beorchia, Ace & Carr, Jon C. & Gonzalez, Gabe & Harris, Michael L. & Morrow, Grayson & Philli, 2023. "Exploring objective versus subjective social ties using entrepreneurs’ gmail data," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 20(C).

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