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Measuring Socio-Demographic Differences in Volunteers with a Value-Based Index: Illustration in a Mega Event

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Abstract

The phenomenon of volunteering can be analysed as a consumer experience through the concept of value as a trade-off between benefits and costs. In event volunteering, both the expected value (pre-experienced) and the perceived value (post-experienced) of volunteering can be assessed. With this purpose, an online quantitative survey is conducted with a sample of 711 volunteers in a religious mega event, with questions related to five dimensions of their experience: efficiency, social value, play, spirituality and time spent. These five scales, properly tested are used for building a multidimensional index of both the expected and perceived value of the volunteer experience. ANOVAs test show significant differences on the index in both moments upon the socio-demographic profiles: negative expectations/experience balance by age, contrasted results by sex, and more experienced volunteers being more critical with the value experienced. Implications for event managers are proposed, in line with the motivation of volunteers.

Résumé

Le phénomène du bénévolat peut être analysé en tant qu’expérience de consommateur au travers du concept de valeur, entendu comme compromis entre un coût et un bénéfice. En ce qui concerne le bénévolat événementiel, il est possible d’estimer la valeur attendue (à priori) et la valeur ressentie (à postériori). Dans cette optique, une étude quantitative a été menée en ligne sur un échantillon de 711 bénévoles pour un événement religieux de grande ampleur, avec des questions concernant cinq aspects de leur expérience : efficacité, valeur sociale, amusement, spiritualité et temps consacré. Ces cinq échelles dument testées sont ici utilisées pour établir un indicateur pluridimensionnel de la valeur attendue et ressentie pour cette expérience bénévole. L’analyse de la variance met en évidence des différences significatives d’indicateur pour ces deux valeurs en fonction des profils socio-démographiques : bilan attentes/expérience négatif avec l’âge, résultats contrastés selon le sexe, et bénévoles expérimentés davantage critiques quant à la valeur ressentie. En conséquence, des propositions sont ici émises à l’attention des organisateurs d’événements pour mieux motiver les bénévoles.

Zusammenfassung

Das Phänomen der ehrenamtlichen Tätigkeit lässt sich als eine Verbrauchererfahrung mittels des Wertkonzepts als ein Kompromiss zwischen Kosten und Nutzen analysieren. Bei ehrenamtlichen Tätigkeiten im Rahmen von Veranstaltungen können sowohl der erwartete Wert (vor gesammelter Erfahrung) als auch der wahrgenommene Wert (nach gesammelter Erfahrung) der ehrenamtlichen Tätigkeit bestimmt werden. Zu diesem Zweck wird eine quantitative Online-Befragung von 711 ehrenamtlich Tätigen bei einer religiösen Großveranstaltung durchgeführt, die Fragen zu fünf Erfahrungsbereichen enthält: Effizienz, sozialer Wert, Freizeit, Spiritualität und Zeitaufwand. Diese angemessen getesteten fünf Größen werden verwandt, um einen multidimensionalen Index für den erwarteten und wahrgenommenen Wert in Verbindung mit der ehrenamtlichen Tätigkeit zu erstellen. Die Varianzanalyse (Analysis of Variance, ANOVA) zeigt bedeutende Unterschiede auf dem Index zwischen beiden auf die sozio-demographischen Profile wirkenden Momente: das Gleichgewicht negativer Erwartungen/Erfahrungen je nach Alter, gegensätzige Ergebnisse je nach Geschlecht und ehrenamtlich Tätige mit größerer Erfahrung, die den erlebten Wert kritischer betrachten. Im Einklang mit der Motivation eherenamtlich Tätiger werden Implikationen für Veranstaltungsmanager aufgestellt.

Resumen

El fenómenos del voluntariado puede ser analizado como una experiencia de consumidor mediante el concepto de valor como una solución de compromiso entre beneficios y costes. En el voluntariado de eventos, se puede evaluar tanto el valor esperado (pre-experimentado) como el valor percibido (post-experimentado) del voluntariado. Con este fin, se realiza una encuesta cuantitativa online con una muestra de 711 voluntarios en un mega-evento religioso, con preguntas relacionadas con cinco dimensiones de su experiencia: eficiencia, valor social, desempeño, espiritualidad y tiempo dedicado. Estas cinco escalas, adecuadamente probadas se utilizan para crear un índice multidimensional tanto del valor esperado como del valor percibido de la experiencia del voluntario. La prueba ANOVA muestra diferencias significativas en el índice en ambos momentos con respecto a los perfile socio-demográficos: expectativas negativas/experiencia base por edad, resultados contrastados por sexo, y voluntarios más experimentados que son más críticos con el valor experimentado. Se proponen implicaciones para los gestores de eventos, en línea con la motivación de los voluntarios.

ملخص

ظاهرة العمل التطوعي يمكن تحليلها بإعتبارها تجربة المستهلك من خلال مفهوم القيمة كمفاضلة بين الفوائد والتكاليف. في حال التطوع، فإنه يمكن تقييم كل من القيمة المتوقعة (لذوي الخبرة السابقة) والقيمة المتصورة(بعد الحصول على الخبرة) للعمل التطوعي. لهذا الغرض، تم إجراء إستطلاع رأي كمي على الإنترنت من عينة من 711 متطوع في مناسبة دينية كبرى، مع أسئلة متصلة بخمسة أبعاد لتجربتهم: الكفاءة ٬القيمة الإجتماعية، التنافس، القيم الروحية والوقت المستغرق. هذه المقاييس الخمسة، تم إختبارها بشكل صحيح وتستخدم لبناء مؤشر متعدد الأبعاد في كل من القيمة المتوقعة والمتصورة لخبرات المتطوعين. تحليل التباين المعروف بإسم (ANOVAs) يظهر فروق ذات دلالة إحصائية على المؤشر في كل من اللحظات على التشكيلات الاجتماعية والديموجرافية: التوقعات السلبية/توازن الخبرة حسب العمر والنتائج المتناقضة حسب الجنس، والمتطوعين الأكثر خبرة كونهم أكثر إنتقادا˝ مع القيمة من ذوي الخبرة. تم إقتراح آثار لمديري الحدث، تمشيا˝ مع الدافع للمتطوعين.

摘要

志愿活动可作为消费者经验体验,根据效益与成本之间的折中之价值概念予以分析。本文分析志愿活动的预期价值(体验前)和感知价值(体验后)。基于这一目的,我们开展在线定量调查,调查中有711个志愿者样本,背景为大型宗教事件,问题与体验的五个方面有关:效率、社会价值、消遣、精神以及花费的时间。 在适当评估之后,这五大因素用于构建志愿者体验的预期价值和感知价值的多面指数。方差分析结果表明,两种社会人口情况下的指数存在重大差异:按年龄划分则预期/体验为总的来说是负面的,按性别划分会得出完全相反的结果,经验越丰富的志愿者对体验的价值要求越高。根据志愿者的积极性,本文建议研究这对于事件管理者的意义。

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Investigación y Comercialización de Mercados, Facultad de Economía, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain

    Teresa Fayos Gardó & Martina G. Gallarza Granizo

  2. Facultad de Estudios de la Empresa, Universidad Católica de Valencia “San Vicente Mártir”, Valencia, Spain

    Francisco Arteaga Moreno & Elena Floristán Imizcoz

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  1. Teresa Fayos Gardó
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  2. Martina G. Gallarza Granizo
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  3. Francisco Arteaga Moreno
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  4. Elena Floristán Imizcoz
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Correspondence to Teresa Fayos Gardó.

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Fayos Gardó, T., Gallarza Granizo, M.G., Arteaga Moreno, F. et al. Measuring Socio-Demographic Differences in Volunteers with a Value-Based Index: Illustration in a Mega Event. Voluntas 25, 1345–1367 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11266-013-9393-2

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