Module code: HRPYC81
Research report for PROJECT 4809
Assignment number 42
Title of study: “What motivates people to do volunteer work?”
Surname: Pretorius Initials: M
Student number: 56275714
Examination period: October/November 2017
1
, CONTENTS
1. Literature review…………………………………………………………………………p.4
1.1 Defying volunteerism…………………………………………………………….p.4
1.2 Models and theories of volunteerism……………………………… ……p.4
1.3 Motivation to volunteerism…………………………………………………..p.5
1.3.1 Altruism………………………………………………………………………..p.6
1.3.2 Egoistic motivations………………………………………………………p.6
2. Research rationale……………………………………………………………………….p.7
3. The aim/s of the research……………………………… ……………………………p.8
4. Methodology……………………………………………………………………………….p.8
4.1 Research design……………………………………………………………………..p.8
4.2 Participants…………………………………………………………………………….p.11
4.3 The interviews………………………………………………………………………..p.13
4.4 Data analysis…………………………………………………………………………..p.15
4.5 Trustworthiness (reliability and validity)…………………………………p.18
4.6 Ethical considerations…………………………………………………………….p.19
5. Results: Discussion of themes………………………………………………………p.21
6. Conclusions………………………………………………… ………………………………p.23
7. References…………………………………………………………………………………..p.24
2
, TITLE: What motivates people to do volunteer work?
ABSTRACT:
Volunteer work could be practised for a variety of reasons. For some it offers the chance to
give something back to the community or make a difference to the people around them.
Some people volunteer with the aim of helping whilst others do it to gain experience. It
also provides an opportunity to develop new skills and gain new knowledge. Regardless of
the motivation, what unites them all is that they find it both challenging and rewarding.
The purpose of the research was to understand what motivates individuals to engage in
volunteering behaviours. This research project is a qualitative study that seeks to
understand why people do volunteer work and the motivation behind it by focusing on the
following constructs: volunteer work; pro social behaviour and work experience. The study
will be conducted using the interpretative approach, using semi-structured interviews to
interview three people volunteering at an organisation. The interviews will be recorded on
tape with the consent of the participants and later transcribed word for word. Each
interview will be conducted in 1 hour with extra time if needed and the timeframe of the
interviews, collection, transcription and analysing of data will be 1 month.
After conducting thematic content analysis on the transcribed interviews, 3 main themes
(and 2 subthemes) were identified. It was concluded that both altruistic and egoistical
motives are present in volunteering behaviours. Although the results hold true for the
sample used for this research, it is realised that the sample was far too small for the
researcher to make any generalisations. This research however, has generated more
insight into the problem and increases the possibility for further research.
3
Research report for PROJECT 4809
Assignment number 42
Title of study: “What motivates people to do volunteer work?”
Surname: Pretorius Initials: M
Student number: 56275714
Examination period: October/November 2017
1
, CONTENTS
1. Literature review…………………………………………………………………………p.4
1.1 Defying volunteerism…………………………………………………………….p.4
1.2 Models and theories of volunteerism……………………………… ……p.4
1.3 Motivation to volunteerism…………………………………………………..p.5
1.3.1 Altruism………………………………………………………………………..p.6
1.3.2 Egoistic motivations………………………………………………………p.6
2. Research rationale……………………………………………………………………….p.7
3. The aim/s of the research……………………………… ……………………………p.8
4. Methodology……………………………………………………………………………….p.8
4.1 Research design……………………………………………………………………..p.8
4.2 Participants…………………………………………………………………………….p.11
4.3 The interviews………………………………………………………………………..p.13
4.4 Data analysis…………………………………………………………………………..p.15
4.5 Trustworthiness (reliability and validity)…………………………………p.18
4.6 Ethical considerations…………………………………………………………….p.19
5. Results: Discussion of themes………………………………………………………p.21
6. Conclusions………………………………………………… ………………………………p.23
7. References…………………………………………………………………………………..p.24
2
, TITLE: What motivates people to do volunteer work?
ABSTRACT:
Volunteer work could be practised for a variety of reasons. For some it offers the chance to
give something back to the community or make a difference to the people around them.
Some people volunteer with the aim of helping whilst others do it to gain experience. It
also provides an opportunity to develop new skills and gain new knowledge. Regardless of
the motivation, what unites them all is that they find it both challenging and rewarding.
The purpose of the research was to understand what motivates individuals to engage in
volunteering behaviours. This research project is a qualitative study that seeks to
understand why people do volunteer work and the motivation behind it by focusing on the
following constructs: volunteer work; pro social behaviour and work experience. The study
will be conducted using the interpretative approach, using semi-structured interviews to
interview three people volunteering at an organisation. The interviews will be recorded on
tape with the consent of the participants and later transcribed word for word. Each
interview will be conducted in 1 hour with extra time if needed and the timeframe of the
interviews, collection, transcription and analysing of data will be 1 month.
After conducting thematic content analysis on the transcribed interviews, 3 main themes
(and 2 subthemes) were identified. It was concluded that both altruistic and egoistical
motives are present in volunteering behaviours. Although the results hold true for the
sample used for this research, it is realised that the sample was far too small for the
researcher to make any generalisations. This research however, has generated more
insight into the problem and increases the possibility for further research.
3
