The Use of Online Panel Data in Management Research: A Review and Recommendations

The Use of Online Panel Data in Management Research: A Review and Recommendations

Management scholars have long depended on convenience samples to conduct research involving human participants. However, the past decade has seen an emergence of a new convenience sample: online panels and online panel participants. The data these participants provide—online panel data (OPD)—has bee...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of management Vol. 45; no. 1; pp. 319 - 344
Main Authors: Porter, Christopher O. L. H., Outlaw, Ryan, Gale, Jake P., Cho, Thomas S.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01-01-2019
Sage Publications Ltd
Subjects:
Electronic publishing
Longitudinal studies
Management theory
Panel data
Research methodology
research methods
convenience sample
online panel data
sampling
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Summary:Management scholars have long depended on convenience samples to conduct research involving human participants. However, the past decade has seen an emergence of a new convenience sample: online panels and online panel participants. The data these participants provide—online panel data (OPD)—has been embraced by many management scholars owing to the numerous benefits it provides over “traditional” convenience samples. Despite those advantages, OPD has not been warmly received by all. Currently, there is a divide in the field over the appropriateness of OPD in management scholarship. Our review takes aim at the divide with the goal of providing a common understanding of OPD and its utility and providing recommendations regarding when and how to use OPD and how and where to publish it. To accomplish these goals, we inventoried and reviewed OPD use across 13 management journals spanning 2006 to 2017. Our search resulted in 804 OPD-based studies across 439 articles. Notably, our search also identified 26 online panel platforms (“brokers”) used to connect researchers with online panel participants. Importantly, we offer specific guidance to authors, reviewers, and editors, having implications for both micro and macro management scholars.
ISSN:0149-2063
1557-1211
DOI:10.1177/0149206318811569