Modeling Perceptions and Preference of Home-based and
Center-based Telecommuting
BY
DAVID MICHAEL STANEK
B.S. (University of California, Davis) 1993
THESIS
Submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the
degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE
in Civil and Environmental Engineering in the OFFICE OF GRADUATE
STUDIES of the
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, DAVIS. December 1995.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Figures and Tables
Acknowledgements
Abstract
- 1. Introduction
- 1.1 Scope and Motivation
- 1.2 RABO Project
- 1.3 Outline
- 2. Review of Telecommuting
Literature
- 2.1 Advantages and Disadvantages
- 2.2 Forms of Telecommuting
- 2.3 Telecommuting Decision
Theory
- 2.4 Preference Modeling
Efforts
- 3. Data Description and
Exploratory Analysis
- 3.1 Analysis Outline
- 3.2 Survey Structure
- 3.3 Part A: Job
Characteristics
- 3.4 Part B: Job
Satisfaction
- 3.5 Part C: Work
Environment
- 3.6 Part D: Importance
of Work Characteristics
- 3.7 Part E: Amount of
Telecommuting
- 3.8 Part F: Travel
Characteristics
- 3.9 Part G:
Sociodemographic Characteristics
- 3.10 Implications for
Preference Modeling
- 4. Factor Analysis
- 4.1 Definition
- 4.2 Methods
- 4.3 Part B Factors: Job
Satisfaction
- 4.4 Part C Factors: Work
Attitudes
- 5. Model Description
- 5.1 Logit Modeling
- 5.2 Variable
Description
- 5.3 Preference for
Telecommuting Center
- 5.4 Preference for
Home
- 5.5 Preference for Center
vs. Home
- 5.6 Discussion of Final
Models
- 6. Conclusion
- 6.1 Summary
- 6.2 Directions for Further
Research
7. Bibliography
Appendix A: Before Telecommuting Center
Employee Survey
- Appendix B: Data Description
Tables and Charts
- B.1 Part B, C, & D
Questions
- Appendix C: Modeling
Statistics
- C.1 T-test Results
- C.2 Logit Model
Statistics
LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES
- Figures
- 2-1 Schematic Model of the
Decision-Making Process
- Tables
- 2-1 Possible Effects of
Telecommuting on Employees
- 2-2 Possible Effects of
Telecommuting on Employers
- 2-3 Possible Effects of
Telecommuting on the Transportation System
- 3-1 Number and
Percentage for Employment Type
- 3-2 Number and
Percentage for Work Schedule
- 3-3 Mean and Standard
Deviation for Percentage of Work Spent
- 3-4 Part B Significant
ANOVA Results
- 3-5 Part C ANOVA Results
(P-values)
- 3-6 Most Important Work
Characteristics
- 3-7 Least Important Work
Characteristics
- 3-8 Mean and Standard
Deviation for Ideal Distribution of Time
- 3-9 Mean and Standard
Deviation for Travel Characteristics
- 3-10 Number and
Percentage for Sociodemographic Characteristics
- 3-11 Mean and Standard
Deviation for Household and Vehicle Variables
- 3-12 Number and
Percentage for Education Categories
- 3-13 Number and
Percentage for Household Income Categories
- 4-1 Part B Factor Analysis
Pattern Matrix
- 4-2 Mean and Standard
Deviation for Part B Factor Scores
- 4-3 Part C Factor Analysis
Pattern Matrix
- 4-4 Mean and Standard
Deviation for Part C Factor Scores
- 4-5 Part C Factors ANOVA
Results (P-values)
- 5-1 Preference to
Telecommute
- 5-2 Center Preference
Model Results
- 5-3 Home Preference Model
Results
- 5-4 Center vs. Home
Preference Model Results
- 5-5 Comparison of
Significant Explanatory Variables
- 5-6 Center Preference
Against Home Preference
- 5-7 C vs. H Preference
Against Home and Center Preference
- C-1 T-test Results for
Factor Variables
- C-2 T-test Results for
Work-related Variables
- C-3 T-test Results for
Household-related Variables
- C-4 Auxiliary Statistics
for Center Preference Model
- C-5 Auxiliary Statistics
for Home Preference Model
- C-6 Auxiliary Statistics
for Center vs. Home Preference Model
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to take this opportunity to thank those who have
helped to make this
thesis research possible. Michael Bagley, Dennis Henderson,
and Brett Koenig assisted
in the creation of the attitudinal survey instrument.
Michelle Derr oversaw the data
collection process, and Carol Buckinger provided data
cleaning instructions and database
programming. Michael Bagley (again) and Sally Ho provided
help on statistical
procedures.
Thanks also to Professor Paul Jovanis and Professor
Debbie Niemeier for their
insightful comments and suggestions. I would especially
like to thank Professor Patricia
Mokhtarian for her technical and theoretical support in all
areas of this research, from
survey development to paper revisions.
Finally, I owe a large debt of gratitude to my wife,
Wendy, who has been
extremely understanding and supportive.
ABSTRACT
This report investigates the preference to telecommute
from home and from a
center. Current studies about telecommuting and the
modeling of telecommuting
preference are discussed. Survey data were collected from
center-based telecommuters,
home-based telecommuters, and non-telecommuters, as part of
a telecommuting center
demonstration project in California. Factor analysis was
performed on questions relating
to job satisfaction and attitudes about work
characteristics. Using these factor scores, as
well as travel and sociodemographic variables, the
preferences to work from the
telecommuting center and to work from home were modeled.
Logit models for center
preference (rho-squared = 0.70), home preference
(rho-squared = 0.76), and center vs. home preference (rho-squared
= 0.88) were estimated. The most frequently significant
characteristics were personal
benefits at the center, work ethic at home, and age.
Further research into multinomial
logit models of preference using the factor scores as
generic and alternative-specific
variables is suggested.
Next
Table
of Contents
Return to the Abstracts of Non-Refereed
Publications page.
Return to the Telecommunications and Travel Main
page.
Return to the Teleworking Reports
page.