Lonneke Roza

How Perceptions of Altruism and Sincerity Affect Client Trust in Volunteers Versus Paid Workers

Research has identified that volunteering provides value to organizations, communities, and volunteers themselves. Yet, empirical research on the value that volunteers might provide to recipients of their support (i.e., clients) is very limited. Building on insights from attribution theory, we argue that clients are more likely to attribute support from volunteers to altruistic and sincere motives relative to support from paid workers, and that this provides the foundations for affect-based trust to develop between clients and volunteers. We present data from two experiments that support this indirect effect of volunteerism on affect-based trust. Our findings provide insights into why and how volunteers may provide relational value to clients and human service organizations.

Differences between paid and unpaid social services for beneficiaries

ABSTRACT In many Western welfare states, social work services that have traditionally been provided by paid employees are being replaced by family support, community support, informal networks, and volunteering. For the field of social work, it is relevant to know what it matters to beneficiaries whether services are provided by volunteers or by paid employees. The central question of this article is therefore as follows: What are the differences between unpaid and paid social services for beneficiaries? The article is based on literature review and focus groups. Our results suggest that beneficiaries do experience some differences regarding the advantages of volunteer services for beneficiaries that can be summarized in three propositions: (1) services provided by volunteers are more relational than are services provided by paid employees, and they are therefore perceived as more equal, flexible and sincere. (2) The effects of volunteer services for beneficiaries are not exclusively positive. (3) Although particular tasks may appear to be interchangeable to some extent, the relative advantages of a given task depend upon whether it is performed by a paid worker or by a volunteer. Additional research is needed in order to provide further validation.

Exploring Partnerships from the Perspective of HSO Beneficiaries: The Case of Corporate Volunteering

ABSTRACT Despite numerous studies of cross-sector collaboration, little is known about the perceptions and involvement of beneficiaries in partnerships between HSOs and companies. This explorative, qualitative study addresses this gap by offering insight into the beneficiaries’ perspectives with regard to a specific form of collaboration: corporate volunteering. Key findings suggest that beneficiaries’ perceptions are influenced by involvement in the development of the projects, the perceived quality of interaction, and the sustainability. We conclude that beneficiaries are welcoming the change in their daily routines, while acknowledging the lack of reciprocity. We argue that corporate volunteering does not necessarily produce a win-win situation.

The nonprofit case for corporate volunteering: a multi-level perspective

ABSTRACT This article argues that the nonprofit case for corporate volunteering is complex, requiring a multi-level perspective on the outcomes for nonprofit organizations (NPOs). To develop this perspective, we adopted an inductive research approach, conducting 39 exploratory semi-structured interviews with NPO staff. We argue that NPO scholars and practitioners should disentangle individual and organizational-level outcomes resulting from interactions between corporate volunteers and NPO staff, as such micro-dynamics ultimately affect NPO services. Moreover, these outcomes are subject to conditions at the organizational level (e.g. involvement of intermediaries), as well as at the individual level (e.g. type of assignment). Our study highlights the complexity that should be considered when addressing the fundamental question of whether corporate volunteering contributes to the ability of NPOs to provide their services, and under what conditions. We therefore propose that corporate volunteer management within NPOs is inherently, albeit contingently, intertwined with the services that these organizations provide.

A new spirit across sectors: Constructing a common justification for corporate volunteering

textabstractCorporate volunteering is an activity located at the intersection of the corporate and nonprofit spheres. Its coordination and implementation create interesting encounters between professionals from both sectors. This article adopts a pragmatic sociological approach to analysing the discursive processes that nurture or hinder these encounters and the corporate volunteering activities they aim to produce. It brings to the fore the nonprofit perspective by analysing 39 semi-structured interviews with Dutch and Belgian nonprofit professionals who were engaged in corporate volunteering coordination. The study shows that a flexible and project-oriented justification regime, which is mainly promoted by nonprofits that match companies with other nonprofits, creates a common discursive terrain that nurtures cross-sectoral collaboration. Other justification regimes, particularly the civic one, are increasingly marginalised, as they are perceived as hindering collaboration rather than enabling it. Thus the proliferation of corporate volunteering, and the dominance of the project-oriented justification that is intertwined with it, together challenge classical identifications of the nonprofit sector with civic action.