Chapter 5 -- Factorial survey research in the study of environmental regulatory processes

Abstract

In this chapter, we describe how factorial surveys are (and can be) used to study the impact of environmental law and enforcement on corporate compliance. We begin by outlining the benefits and limitations of the factorial survey method. We then review the literature on how factorial surveys have been used to examine the administration of environmental regulations. In this review, we find that factorial surveys have been underutilized in the study of environmental enforcement, despite the unique opportunities for knowledge building provided by this method. As such, we discuss the usefulness of this method for the study of administrative law and outline potential avenues for future research.