Background

 

In order to evaluate the NTF III (Natherlands Trust Fund) Bangladesh project a baseline study was completed. The study was divided into two parts — face to face interview and online survey.The face-to-face survey was carried out from February 20, 2016 to April 20, 2016. The online survey was carried out from Nov 20, 2016 to Jan 21, 2017. The NTF III Bangladesh Project was implemented by the ITC (International Trade Centre) based in Geneva Switzerland, with the financial support of the Dutch Centre for the Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries (CBI) and supported by BASIS (Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services) and in partnership with Dhaka Chamber of Commmerce and Industry. The NTF III Bangladesh project was part of the Netherlands Trust Fund phase III (NTF III) program on the actions taken in Bangladesh under the previous Netherlands Trust Fund phase II (NTF II) programme. The main purpose of the NTF III Bangladesh project was to improve the export competitiveness of the IT and ITES industry in Bangladesh.

 

Survey objectives

 

The objective of PRIME-ITC evaluation was to learn about the management practices, business performance, employment and export in the sector to improve the services of ITC in Bangladesh and assess the impacts of NTF III Bangladesh project by comparing NTF III and non NTF III firms.

 

Face to face survey: Survey method

 

Sample & tools

 

In order to identify the impact of NTF III program, the survey picked NTF III, Non-NTF III and the firms Applied for enlisting with NTF III program. A sample list was provided to Mitra by Wageningen University and Research to survey where 41 firms were NTF III firms these firms were non-replaceable. The rest 930 firms were for applied and Non-NTF III was replaceable, from this list we interviewed 24 firms in field practice. We picked 609 firms from following the order from top to bottom. 

 

1. Updated the Firm contact details and availability by regular contact and put those in a central spreadsheet.
2. Provided interviewers the detail contact of the assigned firms.
3. Developed clear protocols for replacement of firms those are unavailable.

 

Tasks carried out by Mitra and Associates

 

Preparatory works

 

The specific tasks for preparation of questionnaire and program for smart phone for face to face survey include:

 

1. Translation into Bangla, pre-testing and finalizing of all questionnaires for NTF III, Non-NTF III & Applied firms.
2. Obtained approval of final questionnaires from the Wageningen University and Research, Netherlands.
3. A standard, user friendly, smooth application for NTF III Bangla questionnaire was built using ODK server.
4. The application was tested and upgraded by trial and error method.
5. For the security of the application, a strong anti-virus was used was used in each smart phone.
6. For another security measure, a strong app locker was also used in each smart phone.

 

Training

 

1. Prepared training materials and detailed interviewer manual in close collaboration with Wageningen University and Research, Netherlands.
2. Carried out in-depth training of all field staffs, including practice interviews and other similar exercises. The training takes place for 8 days. 

 

Data collection

 

1. Informed through email to all sample firms about the interviews.
2. Conducted face-to-face interviews following specified survey protocols.

 

Equipment and logistics

 

1. Securing office for Smart phones for survey operation. And Ensured proper maintenance and functionality
2. Arranged sound internet package to send the surveys to server.
3. Proper management and workability of the ODK server were ensured. 

 

Data processing

 

1. After downloading from the server converted the CSV data file into excel file. And checked their consistency by frequency through spss 20 version of several variables. And corrected those in excel files.

 

Challenges

 

1. It was difficult to catch the firm personals as they frequently change the schedule of interviewing.
2. 1 owner had several firms which squeeze our samples. Some firms of the sample list were outside of Dhaka which also made short the sample list. Some firms were still unreachable as they were not available by email, phone number and website also.

 

Online survey: Survey method

 

Sample & tools

 

PRIME team prepared additional online surveys to the survey participants after 6 months of the completion of baseline survey in coordination with Mitra and Associates. PRIME program ensured that businesses to which online survey were going to be sent would make known to Mitra and Associates in time. Mitra and Associates reviewed the questionnaire to see whether it was clear and could be used for the survey locally. 

 

1. Pilot for online survey tool: Mitra and Associates sent the online survey along with IAT tool to 102 business and human resource managers to test the both survey tools. Mitra and Associates called those 102 business owners and human resource managers to check whether they received the survey and there were any problems concerning the survey.
2. Data collection: In the final survey, online survey tool along with IAT tool were sent to 756 businesses.
3. Periodic check for the online survey team: To increase the response rate to both the online survey and IAT, 4weeklyperiodictelephonecallsweremadetotheonlinesurveyrespondentswhodidnot respond the surveys. PRIME program ensured those businesses to which periodic phone call would be made known to Mitra and Associates in time. Mitra and Associates kept the record of the respondents called, the time of the call, and whether the respondent answered the phone call.

 

Tasks carried out by Mitra and Associates

 

Preparatory works

 

The specific tasks for preparation of questionnaire and program for smart phone for face to face survey include:

 

1. Pre-testing, finalizing and translating into Bengali of 6 orders of online survey questionnaires.
2. Pre-testing and finalizing of 2 orders of IAT.
3. Obtained approval of final online survey questionnaire and IAT from the Wageningen University and Research, Netherlands.
4. A standard, user friendly, smooth application for online survey Bangla questionnaire was built using Google server.
5. A standard, user friendly, smooth application for IAT was built using our local server.
6. The both applications were tested and upgraded by trial and error method. 

 

Training

 

1. Prepared training materials and online survey implementation manual in close collaboration with Wageningen University and Research, Netherlands.
2. Carried out in-depth training of all field staffs, including practice follow up and contact information collection exercises.

 

Data collection

 

1. Informed through email to all sample firms about online survey and IAT.
2. Carried out effective follow up until the firms completed both online survey and IAT.

Equipment and logistics

 

1. Proper management and workability of the online survey questionnaire server and IAT server.

 

Data processing

 

1. The online survey data of 6 different orders were downloaded from the server in Excel form and the IAT data of 2 different orders were downloaded from the server in text form. The final online survey data and IAT data were submitted after cleaning the pilot and field practice data.

 

Challenges

 

1. It was difficult to catch the firm personals as they frequently change the schedule of interviewing.
2. Some firm personals were reluctant to participate IAT although they submitted their online survey.

 

Client reference

 

LEI Wegeningen UR (Alexandervald 5, 2585 DB the Hague, the Netherlands), an institute within the legal entity Stichting Dienst Landbouwkundig Onderzoek, (afoundation under Dutch private law) registered at Wegeningen, the Netherlands. The Authorized Representatives: Dr.M M Hackmann, Business unit Manager, Prof.J.G.A.J. Van der Vorst, Managing Director.Giel Ton, giel.ton@wur.nl, +31 (0) 703358368. And the principal investigator at Wageningen University, the Netherlands, Haki Pamuk (PhD.) (tel: +31 317 483417, email: haki.pamuk@wur.nl.