A Study of Factors Influencing and contributing towards the Sport Volunteers’ Satisfaction

Abstract

Sport organisations are increasingly reliant on episodic volunteers for the successful delivery of sport events and sport programs. Therefore, managers of sport organisations’ must concern about utilising sport volunteers in their sport programs for effective and efficient operation, for that managers should understand volunteer motives and satisfaction (Pauline, 2011). In an effort to do this, this study was examining characteristics of volunteer motivation and factors responsible for the volunteer satisfaction using Bang and Challadurai’s (2003) volunteer motivation scale and Kuhn and Guzley’s (2002) volunteer satisfaction index. This study used volunteers from around the world who have sport volunteer experience as the sample population as well as both random and snow ball sampling techniques were used to collect data. A Likert-scale online survey was used and administered (n=185) to gain volunteer perception of their motivation and satisfaction associated with individual volunteer experience. The results of descriptive analysis indicate that interpersonal contact, career orientation, personal growth, community involvement and love of sport are the motivational factors encouraging volunteers to participate in sport volunteerism. Thus, multiple regression analysis reveals that Career orientation and personal growth best explained volunteer satisfaction with volunteer experience. In addition, volunteer satisfaction dimensions such as Group integration, Empowerment and Organisation Support are satisfied according to the perception of volunteers with volunteer experience. Thus, multiple regression analysis reveals that empowerment and organisation support are the most influencing factors towards volunteer satisfaction in their volunteer experience. Furthermore, person correlation analysis indicated that both motivation and satisfaction factors have positive correlation. Finally concluded that most volunteers focus on satisfying their personal goals through participating in sport volunteerism. For further researchers can be recommended to do research using different methods such as mix methods, qualitative methods and could use different influencing factors to address the gap in literature of volunteer satisfaction and motivation.