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Many not-for-profit organizations rely on volunteers to help accomplish their service objectives. Although volunteers work alongside or in some cases replace employees in the delivery of service, incorporating volunteer labor into the service delivery system of the not-for-profit poses unique challenges. Understanding these challenges represents an important foundation-building step in understanding the implications for service design and service operations when using volunteers. This paper identifies and describes service design and operational factors relevant to volunteer satisfaction in not-for-profit organizations. Using data collected from 288 volunteers working in 43 not-for-profit agencies, the study explores the elements of service delivery that impact volunteer satisfaction, and further tests the relationship between volunteer satisfaction and loyalty to the not-for-profit organization. Findings include that satisfied volunteers are more likely to remain for longer periods of time with the same organization, are more likely to donate financially to the not-for-profit, and are more likely to recommend the volunteer experience to others. Each of these outcomes helps to ensure the continued sustainability of the not-for-profit organization.
A major difficulty in the psychology of motivation has been the lack of consensus on its definition. In an attempt to resolve the terminological confusion, 102 statements defining or criticizing the concept were compiled from a variety of sources. The definitions were classified into nine categories, on the basis of the phenomena or theoretical issues emphasized, with a tenth category containing the skeptical statements. Two categories of definitions emphasized internal mechanisms (phenomenological and physiological); three emphasized functional processes (energizing, directing, and vector); two restricted the scope of motivation (temporal-restrictive and process-restrictive); and two emphasized the comprehensive nature of motivation (broad/balanced and all-inclusive). These categories identify concepts or variables that traditionally have been considered important aspects of motivation. Finally, suggestions were made concerning usage of the termmotivation in a way consistent with both the academic psychological approach and the nonpsychologist''s informal concept.