2. Methodology

The objective of the study is the description of key attitude profiles among German decision- makers with respect to various broad issues of trust and security on the Internet. Its scope is not restricted to viewing decision-makers as a single homogeneous block. The investigation delves more deeply into the fields of conflict among them (e.g. business versus politics) and their affiliation with the distinct digital milieus. The survey questions cover the sectors of data security/data protection, responsibility and trust.

A two-phase procedure was selected for use in the study.

Methodology

Module 1 encompassed more than 60 expert interviews with opinion leaders, decision-makers and disseminators.1 The second step was the drafting of a concept for a quantitative representative survey. Hypotheses were generated and operationalised on the basis of the findings from Module 1. During the period between 10 September and 2 November 2012, 1,221 decision-makers from business, politics, civil service, civil society, media, academics and research were interviewed (corresponding to 1,220 weighted cases). The data were collected in collaboration with teleResearch GmbH in Mannheim. The interviews lasted an average of 25 minutes each.

 

  1. This first part was published under the title „DIVSI Opinion Leader Survey – Who Shapes the Internet?“ in November 2012. [↩]