Debbie Haski-Leventhal

A Cross-Cultural Examination of Student Volunteering: Is It All About Résumé Building?

This research adopts the utilitarian view of volunteering as a starting point: we posit that for an undergraduate student population volunteering is motivated by career enhancing and job prospects. We hypothesize that in those countries where volunteering signals positive characteristics of students and helps advance their careers, their volunteer participation will be higher. Furthermore, regardless of the signaling value of volunteering, those students who volunteer for utilitarian reasons will be more likely to volunteer but will exhibit less time-intensive volunteering. Using survey data from 12 countries (n = 9,482), we examine our hypotheses related to motivations to volunteer, volunteer participation, and country differences. Findings suggest that students motivated to volunteer for building their résumés do not volunteer more than students with other motives. However, in countries with a positive signaling value of volunteering, volunteering rates are significantly higher. As expected, students motivated by résumé building motivations have a lower intensity of volunteering.

Group Processes and Volunteering: Using Groups to Enhance Volunteerism

In the past three decades, volunteers became the backbone of many human service organizations (HSOs). We propose that the role of groups in volunteer management is often neglected. We first review the theoretical and empirical literature on group dynamics relevant to fostering volunteering, followed by a literature review on the nexus between groups and volunteering. We then develop a model of four volunteer group types and their unique utility as it pertains to volunteering in HSOs: habitual volunteering group, dual-identity group, training-induced group, and provisional group. We conclude with a summary, discussion, and implications regarding the role of groups in volunteer recruitment, socialization, motivation, and retention.

Service-Learning: Findings From a 14-Nation Study

Service-learning literature has been dominated by studies from North America with little cross-national comparative work. This article reports on a survey of university students conducted across 14 different countries. The study examines the relationships between service-learning programs (both compulsory and optional) at high school and university, along with current volunteering, study subject, and sociodemographic variables. The survey found variation in service-learning across the different countries along with relationships between service-learning participation and gender, family income, and study subject. By contrast to previous research, however, both mandatory and optional service-learning at high school and university led to higher participation in general volunteering.

What Money Cannot Buy: The Distinctive and Multidimensional Impact of Volunteers

Although it is assumed that volunteers make an extremely important contribution to organizations and the community, studies that examine their direct impact are scarce. Using quantitative and qualitative data collected from clients, volunteers and staff at the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House, examined is the impact of volunteers on the organization, the clients and on themselves. Volunteers had a high direct and indirect impact on recipients, including on their attitudes toward volunteering and their future behavior. Volunteers gained intrinsic and extrinsic benefits and, as expected, their participation had a positive impact on the organization. The study contributes to the body of knowledge on social impact and volunteering.

What gives? Cross-national differences in students’ giving behavior

Abstract This study is targeted to understanding the giving of time and money among a specific cohort – university students across 13 countries. It explores predictors of different combinations of giving behaviors: only volunteering, only donating, neither, as compared to doing both. Among the predictors of these four types of giving behavior, we also account for cross-national differences across models of civil society. The findings show that students predominantly prefer to give money than to volunteer time. In addition, differences in civil society regimes provide insights into which type of giving behavior might dominate. As expected, in the Statist and Traditional models of civil society, students consistently were more likely to be disengaged in giving behaviors (neither volunteering nor giving money) in comparison to students in the Liberal model who were more likely to report doing ‘both’ giving behaviors. An important implication of our findings is that while individual characteristics and values influence giving of time and money, these factors are played out in the context of civil society regimes, whose effects cannot be ignored. Our analysis has made a start in a new area of inquiry attempting to explain different giving behaviors using micro and macro level factors and raises several implications for future research.

The Relationship Between Disclosure and Household Donations to Nonprofit Organizations in Australia

Based on the signaling theory and its application in nonprofit organizations, this study examines the relationship between disclosure in nonprofits and ability to attract household donations. Based on 50 random Australian nonprofits, scores were assigned for fiduciary, financial, performance, and total disclosure. A significant correlation was observed between the extent of total household donations received and a change in marketing and fundraising spend. However, there was no significant relationship identified between total household donations and disclosure. As disclosure does not seem to be rewarded by household donors, this article discusses the potential for a national educational campaign to inform donors of the increasing accessibility of this type of information, the benefits of utilizing this type of information, and how best to use it.

Admitting convicted felons to social work programs: Conceptual dilemmas and practices

In this article, we review the ethical and legal dilemmas regarding the admission of convicted felons and study the practices used by American schools of social work. An important finding is that schools that are proactively engaged in asking for and processing felony conviction information are also more ethically engaged.

Impact measurement in social enterprises: Australia and India

Purpose This study aims to extend existing research on impact measurement (IM) in social enterprises (SEs) by capturing, comparing and contrasting perceptions of IM in SEs in Australia and India. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative methodology was used to study five cases each in India and Australia. The SEs were identified using snowball and theoretical sampling, and grounded theory was applied to analyze the data. Findings Emerging perceptions of IM in both countries are described according to the development of the SE, its perceived impact and IM methods and challenges. Primary differences between India and Australia lie in perceptions of impact and IM, and related tools and processes. Similarities include understanding the importance of IM and the challenges faced. Signaling theory is used to depict how some SEs use IM to signal quality to their stakeholders and how information asymmetry can be reduced by measuring and reporting on IM. Research limitations/implications There is limited representation from developed and developing countries, and the snowball and theoretical sampling approaches used to identify SEs have limitations, including limited representation of SEs. Practical implications There is presently no standardized method of IM due to common challenges and perceived barriers. It is, therefore, important for SEs to work toward developing their own comprehensive IM methodology that is ingrained in strategy, applied on a regular basis and used to measure collective impact to increase sense of ownership and acceptability for employees and partners. Originality/value The paper brings the social entrepreneurs’ perspectives on measuring social impact while comparing these perspectives in one developing and one developed country.

The effect of employee CSR attitudes on job satisfaction and organizational commitment: evidence from the Bangladeshi banking industry

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the relations between employee corporate social responsibility (CSR) attitudes on job satisfaction (JS) and organizational commitment (OC) in the context of Bangladeshi banks in the developing world. Specifically, it examines the relationship of CSR attitudes with the three diverse aspects of OC: affective OC, normative OC and continuance OC. Design/methodology/approach Comparisons are made via survey data obtained from 502 employees of two banks in Bangladesh using structural equation modeling analysis. The research instrument in four sections illustrates the most common measures in the literature used to evaluate the constructs and their interrelations according to the proposed conceptual model of the study. Findings The outcomes of the study reveal that there is a positive relationship between employee CSR attitudes, and both JS and OC. In addition to establishing a relationship between CSR attitudes and “Affective OC”, this study also found a relationship with “Normative OC”, which is less common in the existing literature. Research limitations/implications The limitations of the study mostly revolve around sample and social desirability. To further test the generalizability and cross-sectional validity of the outcomes, it is suggested that the proposed framework be tested in several other industrial/service sectors of developing countries. Practical implications The findings of the present research encourage companies in the developing world to adopt CSR practices to increase rates of JS and OC. Originality/value The study contributes to the literature on CSR and positive workplace outcomes, specifically in the developing world context. Additionally, and unlike past research, the results show the significant effect of employee CSR attitudes on both affective OC and normative OC.

Volunteering in various life stages: Youth, elderly, and parental volunteering

This chapter reviews research that suggests, contrary to Weber’s and Michels’ predictions, bureaucracy and oligarchy are avoidable, as evidenced by the many nonprofit organizations today that manage to avoid both tendencies, especially local associations but also some national associations. Such associations gravitate toward highly democratic and egalitarian practices, including giving all members a say, rather than relying upon hierarchal decision-making. Members usually believe that participatory and egalitarian practices are more likely to foster desired outcomes and empower members. In spite of pressures for efficiency and stability, associations can retain their missions and participatorydemocratic processes by adhering to values, sharing knowledge relevant to the association’s tasks, supporting sustained dialog, engaging in storytelling, cultivating associational norms that encourage individual voice and mutual support, and building community ties.As a person goes through the various stages of life, many things change, including the ways one volunteers and for what reasons (Musick and Wilson 2008). This chapter reviews research on formal volunteering at three different life stages: youth, elderly, and parental volunteering. In each stage, we discuss the definitions, unique characteristics, and scope of volunteering. We further analyze the existing knowledge on motivations, benefits, challenges, and impact for each age group. Furthermore, we discuss the cultural differences of volunteering in each stage in various regions around the world. We conclude with a comparison between the three groups and discuss future trends. The three life stages examined are more distinct and meaningful in industrial and post-industrial societies than in less complex societies, owing to mass education and longer lifespans. Given wide cultural differences in how individuals progress through these stages, the intersection of life-cycle stage and cultural setting are major variables in understanding patterns of volunteering.