Annals of the University of Oradea: Economic Science (Jul 2016)
VOLUNTEERS TRUST IN ORGANIZATIONAL MISSION, LEADERSHIP AND ACTIVITIES EFFIECIENCY
Abstract
Sustained volunteering represents an aim difficult to achieve in the context of non-profit organizations at a global level. Limited financial and human resources and lack of activity continuity results in high rates of turnovers among volunteers. Definitions given to volunteering underline it s non-obligatory nature. Volunteers offer their service freely with no monetary return in exchange fact that leads to lack of commitment and need for complex and interdisciplinary approaches in determining principal factors influencing sustained volunteering. Literature reviews results show that organizational commitment is one important predictor of sustained volunteering. In order to achieve organizational commitment we consider trust as an important factor of influence. Trust is a concept that did not gain much attention in non-profit marketing research, but still different researchers attract the attention on the importance of the positive image, of the value fit between Volunteerʼs personal values and values incorporated in organizational mission and identification. Trust in organizational leadership is also important in long term volunteer involvement. Negative experiences with supervisors and board of administration have been found as leading to low satisfaction, low commitment and turnover. On the other side positive experiences with leadership leads to high levels of satisfaction and commitment to deliver qualitative services to the beneficiaries. Also studies show the importance of the perceived efficiency of the activities that volunteers do. Most of the time volunteers need to know they brought real contribution to disadvantaged categories, or they added value to the organizational success. Volunteers evaluate the opportunity of involvement and cost opportunity from the perspective of the real benefit resulted by their activities. When volunteers do not trust their activities were effective they will manifest reduced organizational commitment. Statistical analysis was made using Correlation Analysis, conducted through SPSS21 program. Results reveal that trust in the mission is influenced in a greater measure by trust in the activities effectiveness than trust in the leadership but both variables are correlated direct and positive to the trust in the mission. Theoretical implications of this study brings in the light the salience of trust influence analysis in determining sustained volunteering but also it underlines the importance of internal marketing orientation on building trust in three major directions.
