Becoming Linked In: Leveraging Professional Networks for Elite Surveys and Interviews

Abstract

Finding and recruiting survey and interview participants remains an important and time-consuming process for mixed methods researchers. For those operating in cross-cultural contexts, these barriers are particularly salient as researchers must overcome both geographic and cultural distances. Traditional recruitment methods often leave researchers reliant on available corporate directories and ‘gatekeepers’ for access to and recruitment of corporate elites. Drawing on our research conducting elite surveys and interviews in the Middle East, we share our experiences – both good and bad – utilizing professional networking platforms, such as LinkedIn, to overcome the obstacles associated with contacting individuals, building trust, and recruiting participants. However, these new approaches are not without drawbacks, and public concerns over government and researcher use of such platforms has challenged the ability to make connections. Our intent is to contribute to on-going discussions of what it means to be “in the field” as we reflect on how to navigate an ever-changing cyber-space.