On the Validity of Using Webpage Texts to Identify the Target Population of a Survey: An Application to Detect Online Platforms
A statistical classification model was developed to identify online platform organizations based on the texts on their website. The model was subsequently used to identify all (potential) platform organizations with a website included in the Dutch Business Register. The empirical outcomes of the statistical model were plausible in terms of the words and the bimodal distribution of fitted probabilities, but the results indicated an overestimation of the number of platform organizations. Next, the external validity of the outcomes was investigated through a survey held under the organizations that were identified as a platform organization by the statistical classification model. The response by the organizations to the survey confirmed a substantial number of type-I errors. Furthermore, it revealed a positive association between the fitted probability of the text-based classification model and the organization's response to the survey question on being an online platform organization. The survey results indicated that the text-based classification model can be used to obtain a subpopulation of potential platform organizations from the entire population of businesses with a website.
Year of publication: |
2023
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Authors: | Daas, Piet ; Hassink, Wolter ; Klijs, Bart |
Publisher: |
Bonn : Institute of Labor Economics (IZA) |
Subject: | online platform organizations | external validation | type-I error | machine learning | web pages |
Saved in:
freely available
Series: | IZA Discussion Papers ; 15941 |
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Type of publication: | Book / Working Paper |
Type of publication (narrower categories): | Working Paper |
Language: | English |
Other identifiers: | 1836944179 [GVK] hdl:10419/272568 [Handle] RePEc:iza:izadps:dp15941 [RePEc] |
Classification: | C81 - Methodology for Collecting, Estimating, and Organizing Microeconomic Data ; C83 - Survey Methods; Sampling Methods ; D20 - Production and Organizations. General ; D83 - Search, Learning, Information and Knowledge ; L20 - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior. General |
Source: |
Persistent link: https://www.econbiz.de/10014296685