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Snowball Sampling: A Review and Guidelines for Survey Research
Abstract
Snowball sampling is widely recognized as an effective technique for accessing hardto-reach populations and enhancing participation through social connections. However, its application in quantitative survey research within business and management studies has received limited attention, resulting in a lack of comprehensive guidelines and inconsistent reporting practices. This editorial addresses this gap by providing a comprehensive overview of snowball sampling and highlighting its advantages, limitations, and practical recommendations for effective implementation in quantitative research. It also offers guidelines for reporting snowball sampling to ensure methodological rigor and transparency. By offering practical insights and methodological guidance, this editorial aims to enhance the quality of research in business and management studies, particularly in contexts where snowball sampling is essential or the only way to obtain reliable quantitative data.
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Snowball sampling is particularly effective for exploring sensitive topics and increasing participation through Pacific peoples' existing relational networks.
“This method is particularly effective for exploring sensitive topics and increasing participation through Pacific peoples’ existing relational networks [19,29,30].”
From Voices of the Pacific: Pacific Peoples’ Conceptualisations of Anxiety in Aotearoa New Zealand—Findings from a Cross-Sectional Survey (2026) · cites this paper as [30]
The Introduction says snowball sampling is useful for sensitive topics because it uses trust within social connections to encourage participation. The Higher Response Rates section likewise describes increased participation through trusted referrals. Neither passage addresses Pacific peoples or establishes that the method is particularly effective within their relational networks. (LLM, conf=0.86)
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Research works printed but not linked: 23
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Chandra, L. A., McLean-Orsborn, S., Tone-Graham, P. V., & Kapeli, S. A. (2026) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph23030291
Metadata
- Authors
- International College, K. U., Ting, H., College of Tourism, H. A. T. M., School of Management and Marketing, T. U., Memon, M. A., Faculty of Business, S. U., National University of Sciences and Technology, I., Chandigarh University, M., Thurasamy, R., Faculty of Business, S. U., School of Management, U. S. M., Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU), K. L., Cheah, J.-H., & Norwich Business School, U. O. E. A.
- Venue
- Asian Journal of Business Research
- Publisher
- Asia Business Research Group
- Published
- 2025-03-18
- Volume
- 15
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 1-15
- ISSN
- 2463-4522
- 1178-8933
- Cited by
- 153
- References
- 0
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