Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2014
Abstract
Professional associations rely on member volunteers to perform organizational work. Yet, half of these volunteers do not intend to volunteer in the future or are ambivalent towards future volunteering (Gazley, 2013). Combined with a dearth of empirical research on both professional associations in general (Webb & Abzug, 2008) and on the volunteer experience in particular (Wilson, 2012), this qualitative study utilizes grounded theory methodology to improve our understanding of the volunteer experience of volunteering at professional associations. Our aim is to determine how this experience occurs to professional volunteers, and in what ways this experience (or these experiences) lead to effective and sustainable volunteer recruitment, engagement, efficacy, and retention. Theorization of our findings emerges largely through the lens of social construction (Berger & Luckmann, 1966; Gergen, 2009) because volunteering is characterized as a form of "social action" (Snyder & Omoto, 2008). We elucidate a mosaic of specific situational factors that contribute to the positive experience of professional volunteering, which can inform strategies implemented by professional associations in order to increase volunteer engagement.
Keywords
voluntarism, professional associations, commitment (psychology), service learning, learning, social constructionism
Rights
© The Author(s). Kelvin Smith Library provides access for non-commercial, personal, or research use only. All other use, including but not limited to commercial or scholarly reproductions, redistribution, publication or transmission, whether by electronic means or otherwise, without prior written permission is strictly prohibited.
Department/Center
Design & Innovation
Recommended Citation
Niederpruem, Michael G., "Situational Factors Influencing Sustained Volunteer Commitment in Professional Associations" (2014). Student Scholarship. 382.
https://commons.case.edu/studentworks/382