Volunteerism and value in hospitality organizations

Volunteerism and value in hospitality organizations

Before embarking on the project, a literature review was conducted. It disclosed that the amount of prevailing literature on the specific research topic is very scarce. Overall, we found that the bulk of research within the field of value and volunteerism concerned the economic value that volunteers contributed with.

Our focus however, is to examine the overall value that volunteers bring to: 1) The local DMO’s and tourism operators. 2) The tourist that visit the destination. 3) To the volunteers themselves. In a close collaboration with one of the leading DMO’s in Denmark, Visit Aarhus, we will be interviewing the volunteers at the Rethinker program at Visit Aarhus. This will include both qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys in a mixed methods approach.

Additionally, we will focus on the value created by members from Generation Z. This will also be conducted using both qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys in a mixed methods approach.

Previously conducted research on volunteering

Based on previously conducted research on volunteering by Henrik Pahus (a three year research project with the Danish NGO “Muskelsvindfonden” ending Summer 2020), a number of exploratory meetings with Visit Aarhus was conducted in the Fall of 2019. Visit Aarhus is renowned for their work on creating “legacy” since being the host of the Cultural capital in 2017.  Especially their work with volunteers has drawn attention from several European DMO’s. In that regard, they were the obvious partner to continue the research on volunteers previously conducted by the researcher.

Initially, several potential issues were discussed, however, based on the previously mentioned literature review. Together with a strong desire from Visit Aarhus to explore this field further, the overall aim/purpose of the project was set in mutual agreement:

Clarify the value created by volunteers within hospitality organizations.

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Based on the research previously conducted on volunteerism by Henrik Pahus (a three year research project with the Danish NGO “Muskelsvindfonden” ending Summer 2020), a number of exploratory meetings with Visit Aarhus was conducted in the Fall of 2019. Visit Aarhus is renowned for their work on creating “legacy” since being the host of the Cultural capital in 2017, and especially their work with volunteers has drawn attention from several European DMO’s. In that regard, they were the obvious partner to continue the research on volunteers previously conducted by the researcher.

Initially, several potential issues were discussed, however, based on the previously mentioned literature review, together with a strong desire from Visit Aarhus to explore this field further, the overall aim/purpose of the project was set in mutual agreement:

Clarify the value created by volunteers within hospitality organizations.

Spring 2020 (preject)

• Qualitative Interviews with volunteer experts from Europe

Fall 2020

• Analyzing Qualitative interviews with experts from Capitals of Culture in Europe
• Planning survey and developing question frame

Spring 2021

• Conducting survey with Rethinkers
• Paper/poster CHME

Summer/Fall 2021

• Analyzing survey with Rethinkers
• Starting the focus on Generation Z and value creation
• Article for Research in Hospitality Management (journal)
• Articles for Turisme.nu
• Poster for Eurochrie in Aalborg

Spring 2022

• Interviews with Volunteer leaders
• Paper/poster for CHME

Summer/Fall 2022

• Developing questions quantitative analysis with Gen Z
• Conducting Quantitative analysis

Spring 2023

• Analyzing quantitative results
• Developing qualitative analysis with Gen Z
• Conducting qualitative analysis with Gen Z

Fall 2023

• Analysis of qualitative results with
• Develop Paper/poster CHME
• Article for “Research in Hospitality Management”

Spring 2024

• Implementing results of project into” Visit Aarhus manual for volunteerism 2024”
• Participation in CHME

Fall 2024

• Writing a book in collaboration with Visit Aarhus based on the results of the project

The project is set to take course over a four-year period from the spring of 2020 to the fall of 2023. At different intervals, data will be gathered in a mixed methods approach from the three primary stakeholder groups: The volunteers themselves (the Re-thinkers), the organisations (Visit Aarhus and their partner companies) and the immediate receivers (cruise guests arriving in the port of Aarhus). After each of the intervals, the data will be analysed and presented to Visit Aarhus.

During the preject phase of the project, several methodical considerations have been discussed. Although the purpose of the project is to measure the value of volunteerism – which essentially invites a quantitative approach with a focus on the monetary value that volunteerism creates such as proposed by Sajardo, Salamon and Orlowski – the assumption is that the experienced value of both the volunteers, the organisations and the cruise guests will be of a qualitative nature. Recent research thus suggests that what creates value for volunteers are more intrinsic factors such as the wish of belonging to a community, having a sense of purpose and the need to escape the humdrum of everyday life.[1] At the same time, quantitative data will be gathered to provide valuable insights into the measurable aspects of the work of the volunteers (e.g. about the frequency and duration of their volunteering).

[1] This refers to the ongoing research done by Henrik Pahus for “The Danish Fund of Muscular Dystrophy”. The Fund arranges major festivals in Denmark and thus employs several thousand volunteers. A paper on this research is set to be published in autumn 2020 in the peer reviewed Journal of Research in Hospitality Management.

It is our assumption that the research will show that volunteerism does in fact create value for both the organisations, the receivers of volunteerism and the volunteers themselves. However, we expect that the three groups may differ in the areas in which they experience value. It seems likely that the monetary element – which in the nature of things is of less significance to the volunteers themselves – is a considerable motivation for the organisations to use volunteers. At the same time, being able to make a difference and being part of a community seem to bring value to the volunteers; But do the guests or receivers of the acts of volunteerism experience this in a similar way?       

The outcomes of this project will be produced concurrent with conducting the research. We will publish papers and posters for conferences, articles for journals and reports for the company involved.

New knowledge on the value of volunteerism within the hospitality sector

• - Bachelor in International Hospitality Management, Randers (2)