In in social sciences and to test hypotheses, I need to collect data from employees working in a public departments. While some are very kind and cooperative, I also met some that are very difficult to work with. For example, requesting permission to conduct a research - some officers from the management level unwilling to cooperate and demonstrate an attitude that they are not interested or even give me lansi attitude, they way they speak is pretty impolite.

Also, some give empty promises and keep delaying, even though I always follow up with them. I try my best to be nice, approachable and polite when I deal with them but apparently it doesn't always work.

This is the reason my data collection has been delayed. Don't want to sound like complaining much, just need opinions how you guys deal with this situation to expedite your research.

find another company??
well,i believe they are cooperating out of courtesy,so they do have the rights to accept/reject,and of course is not nice to show the lansi attitude and also over promise,but once again,they are helping out for free..give and take..

Yes, it is true can't force them to participate. The problem is sometimes top management approves, but the officer that handles it very lansi. Also, I need official permission from a particular department since they has jurisdiction over other gov departments that I want to collect data. So getting approval from this particular department is imperative.

typical "i dont get paid to do this" thinking,is really sad to know that the basic professional ethics is just not there.
all the best then

You can't “camouflage” to be nice, you have to be “just nice”. Ask Blofeld! Here is a quote from one of the World's Top Leadership Guru, John C. Maxwell: “People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care”.

Imagine you are making a telephone call to arrange an appointment to see a government officer.

You: You don't sound well. (Law 43)
Officer: Really? Probably I've been tired at work.

You: And where could that tiredness come from? (Law 43)
Officer: My manager asked me to correct payroll errors by the deadline.

You: I know working can be stressful. (Law 13) Come on! Meet me up at the cafeteria. I have some stress-relieving goodies for you. (Law 27)
Officer: Good! What time would you be there?

This post has been edited by Critical_Fallacy: Mar 17 2014, 02:52 PM

seanwc101, may I recommend this book to you



Read the following Laws

Law 13
When Asking for Help, Appeal to People’s Self-Interest, Never to their Mercy or Gratitude
If you need to turn to an ally for help, do not bother to remind him of your past assistance and good deeds. He will find a way to ignore you. Instead, uncover something in your request, or in your alliance with him, that will benefit him, and emphasize it out of all proportion. He will respond enthusiastically when he sees something to be gained for himself.

Law 27
Play on People’s Need to Believe to Create a Cultlike Following
People have an overwhelming desire to believe in something. Become the focal point of such desire by offering them a cause, a new faith to follow. Keep your words vague but full of promise; emphasize enthusiasm over rationality and clear thinking. Give your new disciples rituals to perform, ask them to make sacrifices on your behalf. In the absence of organized religion and grand causes, your new belief system will bring you untold power.

Law 43
Work on the Hearts and Minds of Others
Coercion creates a reaction that will eventually work against you. You must seduce others into wanting to move in your direction. A person you have seduced becomes your loyal pawn. And the way to seduce others is to operate on their individual psychologies and weaknesses. Soften up the resistant by working on their emotions, playing on what they hold dear and what they fear. Ignore the hearts and minds of others and they will grow to hate you.

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Welcome to the corporate world where everyone has their own self-interest.
Corporate practitioners may not understand the purpose and benefits of survey research and it's your duty to tell them how you CAN BENEFIT THEM with your research.

Tell them how you can help their organisations make more money or how you can help them to improve employees' producitivity, etc.

They don't want to hear you saying "this survey research is for my thesis", "Please help me...". That's the last thing they want to hear from you.

And sometimes, past networking might help too. Have you ever attended any business conferences (not those academic conferences)? Use that opportunity to meet up/network with some high profile corporate individuals. It's time to unleash your social capital to your research.


This post has been edited by Blofeld: Mar 17 2014, 02:50 PM