‘An Investigation into Volunteer Motivations: A Case Study on BT Murrayfield Events.’

Abstract

Industry practitioners and academics acknowledge the importance of volunteers in regards to the successful outcomes of major sporting events. With this in mind it is crucial to examine volunteer motivations. Event managers play a crucial role in facilitating volunteers with a positive experience, leading to achieved desired outcomes, such as good performance, satisfaction, commitment and retention. As illustrated in this study this can be achieved through the creation of successful volunteer programmes and support networks. The purpose of this study was to cover gaps in the existing research and to understand what motivated individuals to volunteer at BT Murrayfield (BTM). Furthermore the researcher wanted to understand if any factors, such as management influence or demographic backgrounds affected these motivations. BTM was of interest to the researcher as they had previously worked at the stadium and had grown up in proximity of BTM. The literature review illustrated the theoretical frameworks and guided the research, alongside the aims and objectives. A quantitative, deductive approach was adopted and surveys were the chosen method. The main reason for this was to make the findings generalisable to all volunteers working at BTM and the survey could reach a database of two hundred and twenty prospective participants. This study focussed on motivations that were part of the functionalist approach (values, understanding, career, social, protective, and enhancement) and additional motivations which were love for sport and enjoyment. Motivations rated most highly were ‘love for rugby’, ‘values’ and ‘engage with likeminded people,’ suggesting that those working at BTM are intrinsically motivated. This study also found the following; there were variations in results when comparing demographics and motivations, the majority of volunteers were satisfied with their experiences and wanted to volunteer again and the majority of volunteers agreed that management support was important.