‘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.