AN EXPLORATORY STUDY ON THE IMPACT THAT DIGITAL THIRD-PARTY VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS HAVE ON VOLUNTEERS’ SATISFACTION AND EXPERIENCES

Abstract

Volunteer turnover has been a prevalent issue that leads to increased costs and reduced social impact amongst many non-profit organizations (NPOs). As such, the issue of volunteer retention and effective volunteer management remain of significant interest to NPOs. With the rise of technology in recent years, technology experts have also sought to identify possible means of incorporating the use of technology to increase volunteer recruitment and retention levels. One such method is the utilization of a Volunteer Management System (VMS). However, there exists a lack of literature regarding the impact that the VMS has on improving volunteers’ experiences. Thus, this exploratory research study aims to explore how the use of a VMS influences volunteers’ satisfactions and other experiences using both quantitative and qualitative designs. The quantitative design involves the use of the Volunteer Satisfaction Index – Chinese (VSI-C) and Volunteer Experience Measurement Scale (VEMS) to compare volunteers who are managed by a VMS versus those who are not. Using these scales, the quantitative design hopes to bring light to the relationship present between the use of a VMS and volunteers’ satisfaction and other experiences. The qualitative design then hopes to provide researchers with more insights on how the use of a VMS impacts volunteers’ satisfaction and experiences. Factor analysis on the VSI-C revealed a unique four-factor structure that was found to be more meaningful than the proposed three factors. Volunteers who utilize VMS were found to have higher levels of satisfaction and improved experiences. However, it was found that the impact that the VMS has on volunteers’ satisfaction and iv experiences were further influenced by the presence of a fit with software architecture and design and organizations’ implementation methods. The findings of this research have contributed to the suggestion of a new model that serves to provide insights on how the VMS influences the impact of organizations’ volunteer management processes. With the findings of this research, this study also suggests new implications for practice, technology and future research.