Choice-Based Conjoint Study of Recruitment Incentives

In this choice-based conjoint (CBC) study, CNRC tasked CNA to explore three questions: which attributes of an enlistment package do potential recruits consider most important; what are the tradeoffs among various elements of a possible enlistment package; and, what elements of an enlistment package are most likely to help the Navy in its efforts to expand beyond its traditional recruiting base? The relationship between enlistment propensity and recruitment incentives was analyzed. The data show that respondents with different enlistment propensities have different preferences for the various incentives in the survey. The results of this study indicate that CNRC must investigate ways, most specifically by focusing on college-related incentives such as the Navy College Fund (NCF) and college credit for Navy training, to make serving in the Navy competitive with the alternative path of attending college and seeking employment in the private sector after having spent some time in college.