IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/qualqt/v39y2005i4p423-452.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Measuring the Measurable: Why can’t we Agree on the Number of Telecommuters in the U.S.?

Author

Listed:
  • Patricia Mokhtarian
  • Ilan Salomon
  • Sangho Choo

Abstract

Using telecommuting as a case study, we demonstrate that definitions, measurement instruments, sampling and sometimes vested interests affect the quality and utility even of seemingly objective and “measurable” data. Little consensus exists with respect to the definition of telecommuting, or to possible distinctions from related terms such as teleworking. Such a consensus is unlikely, since the “best” definition of telecommuting depends on one’s point of reference and purpose. However, differing definitions confound efforts to measure the amount of telecommuting and how it is changing over time. This paper evaluates estimates of the amounts of telecommuting occurring in the U. S. obtained from several different sources: the U. S. Census, the American Housing Survey, several Work at Home supplements to the Current Population Survey, a series of market research surveys, and the trade association-sponsored Telework America surveys. Many of the issues raised here are transferable to other contexts, and indirectly serve as suggestions for improving data collection in the future.
(This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)

Suggested Citation

  • Patricia Mokhtarian & Ilan Salomon & Sangho Choo, 2005. "Measuring the Measurable: Why can’t we Agree on the Number of Telecommuters in the U.S.?," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 39(4), pages 423-452, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:qualqt:v:39:y:2005:i:4:p:423-452
    DOI: 10.1007/s11135-004-6790-z
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1007/s11135-004-6790-z
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11135-004-6790-z?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to look for a different version below or

    for a different version of it.

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Skamris, Mette K. & Flyvbjerg, Bent, 1997. "Inaccuracy of traffic forecasts and cost estimates on large transport projects," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 4(3), pages 141-146, July.
    2. Sangho Choo & Patricia Mokhtarian & Ilan Salomon, 2005. "Does telecommuting reduce vehicle-miles traveled? An aggregate time series analysis for the U.S," Transportation, Springer, vol. 32(1), pages 37-64, January.
    3. Joanne Pratt, 2000. "Asking the right questions about telecommuting: Avoiding pitfalls in surveying homebased work," Transportation, Springer, vol. 27(1), pages 99-116, February.
    4. Handy, Susan & Mokhtarian, Patricia, 1996. "The Future of Telecommuting," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt5nm777c1, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    5. Mokhtarian, Patricia L, 1991. "Defining Telecommuting," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt35c4q71r, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    6. Patricia L. Mokhtarian, 1998. "A Synthetic Approach to Estimating the Impacts of Telecommuting on Travel," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 35(2), pages 215-241, February.
    7. Mokhtarian, Patricia L & Salomon, Ilan & Choo, Sangho, 2004. "Data and Measurement Issues in Transportation, With Telecommuting as a Case Study," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt9pt8s9jv, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Duco Vos & Evert Meijers & Maarten Ham, 2018. "Working from home and the willingness to accept a longer commute," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 61(2), pages 375-398, September.
    2. Ipek N Sener & Phillip R Reeder, 2012. "An Examination of Behavioral Linkages across ICT Choice Dimensions: Copula Modeling of Telecommuting and Teleshopping Choice Behavior," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 44(6), pages 1459-1478, June.
    3. Stefanie Kley & Thordis Reimer, 2023. "Exploring the Gender Gap in Teleworking from Home. The Roles of Worker’s Characteristics, Occupational Positions and Gender Equality in Europe," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 168(1), pages 185-206, August.
    4. Singh, Rajesh & Orazem, Peter F. & Song, Moohoun, 2006. "Broadband Access, Telecommuting and the Urban-Rural Digital Divide," Working Papers 18214, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    5. Becky P. Y. Loo & Bo Wang, 2018. "Factors associated with home-based e-working and e-shopping in Nanjing, China," Transportation, Springer, vol. 45(2), pages 365-384, March.
    6. Markus Moos & Andrejs Skaburskis, 2007. "The Characteristics and Location of Home Workers in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 44(9), pages 1781-1808, August.
    7. Dal Fiore, Filippo & Mokhtarian, Patricia L. & Salomon, Ilan & Singer, Matan E., 2014. "“Nomads at last”? A set of perspectives on how mobile technology may affect travel," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 97-106.
    8. Alexander Bick & Adam Blandin & Karel Mertens, 2023. "Work from Home before and after the COVID-19 Outbreak," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 15(4), pages 1-39, October.
    9. Sergejs Gubins & Jos Ommeren & Thomas Graaff, 2019. "Does new information technology change commuting behavior?," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 62(1), pages 187-210, February.
    10. Tang, Wei & Mokhtarian, Patricia L & Handy, Susan L, 2008. "The Role of Neighborhood Characteristics in the Adoption and Frequency of Working at Home: Empirical Evidence from Northern California," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt13x2q3rb, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    11. Ipek N Sener & Chandra R Bhat, 2011. "A Copula-Based Sample Selection Model of Telecommuting Choice and Frequency," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 43(1), pages 126-145, January.
    12. Georges A. Tanguay & Ugo Lachapelle, 2019. "Potential Impacts of Telecommuting on Transportation Behaviours, Health and Hours Worked in Québec," CIRANO Project Reports 2019rp-07, CIRANO.
    13. Tang, Wei & Mokhtarian, Patricia & Handy, Susan, 2008. "The Role of Neighborhood Characteristics in the Adoption and Frequency of Working at Home: Empirical Evidence from Northern California," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt9rg8w9c4, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    14. Ben-Elia, Eran & Alexander, Bayarma & Hubers, Christa & Ettema, Dick, 2014. "Activity fragmentation, ICT and travel: An exploratory Path Analysis of spatiotemporal interrelationships," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 56-74.
    15. Rotem-Mindali, Orit, 2010. "E-tail versus retail: The effects on shopping related travel empirical evidence from Israel," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 17(5), pages 312-322, September.
    16. Ugo Lachapelle & Georges A Tanguay & Léa Neumark-Gaudet, 2018. "Telecommuting and sustainable travel: Reduction of overall travel time, increases in non-motorised travel and congestion relief?," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 55(10), pages 2226-2244, August.
    17. Jain, Taru & Currie, Graham & Aston, Laura, 2022. "COVID and working from home: Long-term impacts and psycho-social determinants," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 52-68.
    18. Bayarma Alexander & Martin Dijst & Dick Ettema, 2010. "Working from 9 to 6? An analysis of in-home and out-of-home working schedules," Transportation, Springer, vol. 37(3), pages 505-523, May.
    19. Andrew Hook & Victor Court & Benjamin K Sovacool & Steven Sorrell, 2020. "A Systematic Review of the Energy and Climate Impacts of Teleworking," Working Papers hal-03192905, HAL.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mokhtarian, Patricia L & Salomon, Ilan & Choo, Sangho, 2004. "Data and Measurement Issues in Transportation, With Telecommuting as a Case Study," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt9pt8s9jv, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    2. Georges A. Tanguay & Ugo Lachapelle, 2019. "Potential Impacts of Telecommuting on Transportation Behaviours, Health and Hours Worked in Québec," CIRANO Project Reports 2019rp-07, CIRANO.
    3. Nicholas S. Caros & Jinhua Zhao, 2022. "Preparing urban mobility for the future of work," Papers 2201.01321, arXiv.org.
    4. Choo, Sangho & Mokhtarian, Patricia L. & Salomon, Ilan, 2002. "Impacts of Home-Based Telecommuting on Vehicle-Miles Traveled: A Nationwide Time Series Analysis," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt2gj976x6, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    5. Pengyu Zhu, 2013. "Telecommuting, Household Commute and Location Choice," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 50(12), pages 2441-2459, September.
    6. Ozbilen, Basar & Wang, Kailai & Akar, Gulsah, 2021. "Revisiting the impacts of virtual mobility on travel behavior: An exploration of daily travel time expenditures," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 49-62.
    7. Ben-Elia, Eran & Alexander, Bayarma & Hubers, Christa & Ettema, Dick, 2014. "Activity fragmentation, ICT and travel: An exploratory Path Analysis of spatiotemporal interrelationships," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 56-74.
    8. Ivonne Audirac, 2005. "Information Technology and Urban Form: Challenges to Smart Growth," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 28(2), pages 119-145, April.
    9. Choo, Sangho & Mokhtarian, Patricia L, 2008. "Telecommunications and travel demand and supply: Aggregate structural equation models for the US," University of California Transportation Center, Working Papers qt6q8518s4, University of California Transportation Center.
    10. Bayarma Alexander & Martin Dijst & Dick Ettema, 2010. "Working from 9 to 6? An analysis of in-home and out-of-home working schedules," Transportation, Springer, vol. 37(3), pages 505-523, May.
    11. Choo, Sangho, 2003. "Aggregate Relationships between Telecommunications and Travel: Structural Equation Modeling of Time Series Data," University of California Transportation Center, Working Papers qt4p78h623, University of California Transportation Center.
    12. Mokhtarian, Patricia L. & Bagley, Michael N., 2000. "Modeling employees' perceptions and proportional preferences of work locations: the regular workplace and telecommuting alternatives," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 223-242, May.
    13. Beck, Matthew J. & Hensher, David A., 2022. "Working from home in Australia in 2020: Positives, negatives and the potential for future benefits to transport and society," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 271-284.
    14. Walls, Margaret & Safirova, Elena, 2004. "A Review of the Literature on Telecommuting and Its Implications for Vehicle Travel and Emissions," Discussion Papers 10492, Resources for the Future.
    15. Bouzaghrane, Mohamed Amine & Obeid, Hassan & Villas-Boas, Sofia B. & Walker, Joan, 2024. "Influence of telecommuting on out-of-home time use and diversity of locations visited: Evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    16. Han Dong & Cinzia Cirillo & Marco Diana, 2018. "Activity involvement and time spent on computers for leisure: an econometric analysis on the American Time Use Survey dataset," Transportation, Springer, vol. 45(2), pages 429-449, March.
    17. Tal, Gil & Cohen-Blankshtain, Galit, 2011. "Understanding the role of the forecast-maker in overestimation forecasts of policy impacts: The case of Travel Demand Management policies," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 45(5), pages 389-400, June.
    18. Golob, Thomas F. & Regan, A C, 2000. "Impacts of Information Technology on Personal Travel and Commercial Vehicle Operations: Research Challenges and Opportunities," University of California Transportation Center, Working Papers qt0zh556db, University of California Transportation Center.
    19. Pengyu Zhu & Liping Wang & Yanpeng Jiang & Jiangping Zhou, 2018. "Metropolitan size and the impacts of telecommuting on personal travel," Transportation, Springer, vol. 45(2), pages 385-414, March.
    20. Khandker Nurul Habib & Ph. D. & PEng, 2020. "On the Factors Influencing the Choices of Weekly Telecommuting Frequencies of Post-secondary Students in Toronto," Papers 2004.04683, arXiv.org.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:qualqt:v:39:y:2005:i:4:p:423-452. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.