The Effects of Recognition on Volunteer Activities in Korea: does it Really Matter?

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This article was downloaded by: [George Mason University] On: 18 December 2014, At: 15:10 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK International Review of Public Administration Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rrpa20 The Effects of Recognition on Volunteer Activities in Korea: does it Really Matter? Jinkyung Jung a a Kwangwoon University, South Korea Published online: 25 Mar 2014. To cite this article: Jinkyung Jung (2011) The Effects of Recognition on Volunteer Activities in Korea: does it Really Matter?, International Review of Public Administration, 16:2, 33-47, DOI: 10.1080/12264431.2011.10805195 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/12264431.2011.10805195 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/ terms-and-conditions

Transcript of The Effects of Recognition on Volunteer Activities in Korea: does it Really Matter?

Page 1: The Effects of Recognition on Volunteer Activities in Korea: does it Really Matter?

This article was downloaded by: [George Mason University]On: 18 December 2014, At: 15:10Publisher: RoutledgeInforma Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registeredoffice: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK

International Review of PublicAdministrationPublication details, including instructions for authors andsubscription information:http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rrpa20

The Effects of Recognition onVolunteer Activities in Korea: does itReally Matter?Jinkyung Junga

a Kwangwoon University, South KoreaPublished online: 25 Mar 2014.

To cite this article: Jinkyung Jung (2011) The Effects of Recognition on Volunteer Activities inKorea: does it Really Matter?, International Review of Public Administration, 16:2, 33-47, DOI:10.1080/12264431.2011.10805195

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/12264431.2011.10805195

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE

Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the“Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis,our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as tothe accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinionsand views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors,and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Contentshould not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sourcesof information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims,proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoeveror howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to orarising out of the use of the Content.

This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Anysubstantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing,systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms& Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions

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INTRODUCTION

Volunteerism as witnessed recently in Korea can be regarded as a product of relatedforces. First, the volunteer participation rate has increased steadily and the volunteer ratiohas almost doubled—from 10.4% in 2000 to approximately 20% in 2008 (Ministry ofPublic Administration and Security, 2008). Second, legal and policy institutions andphysical infrastructures have been established to support and organize volunteeractivities. At the national level, the Korean government recently enacted the FrameworkLaw of Volunteer Activities, and local governments subsequently enactedordinances tosupport volunteer centers, protect volunteers, and develop nascent volunteer programs.Additionally, as volunteer organizations and the social service sector have grown in

© International Review of Public Administration2011, Vol. 16, No. 2

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THE EFFECTS OF RECOGNITION ON VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES IN KOREA:

DOES IT REALLY MATTER?

JINKYUNG JUNGKwangwoon University, South Korea

The principal objective of this article was to determine how volunteers’activities are influenced by the expressed recognition of and reward fortheir contributions. Data were gathered from 248 volunteer centersthroughout the Republic of Korea, and a total of 705 cases were analyzed.The analysis results reveal that “occasional” recognition can prove morehelpful in maintaining the satisfaction with and continuity of volunteeractivities than “absent” or “excessive” recognition. Our findings in thisregard help to explain the observation that volunteers’ satisfaction andcontinuity are not driven strictly by external recognition and rewards.

Key Words: volunteer activity, recognition and reward, volunteersatisfaction, volunteer continuity

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terms of both numbers and type, volunteer centers at the community level havestrengthened their networking function, which coordinates the supply of and demand forvolunteers. Third, along with an increased number of volunteers, there have also beeninstituted some specialized volunteer management programs designed to effectcontinuous participation and improvements in quality. These specialized programs weredeveloped to enhance the management skills and tools that facilitate recruitment,placement, education and training, program development, volunteer recognition andreward, and the evaluation and time management aspects of service activities.

The volunteer recognition program, as thus far developed, is currently considered avital management tool for maintaining volunteer activities and improving volunteers’satisfaction (Fisher & Ackerman, 1998; Jung & Nam, 2008). It is been fairly broadlydetermined that volunteer recognition by volunteer organizations—as well as by societyin general—contributes to enhancement of the value of volunteer activities (Lee & Jung,2002; Points of Light Foundation, 2005).

However, some potential concerns have arisen regarding the development of thevolunteer recognition program. First of all, it appears likely that excessive compensationby volunteer recognition programs can attenuate the principle of “no reward” or “nopayment” for volunteer activities. Additionally, it may become increasingly difficult toensure equity among volunteer organizations, owing to the limited number ofcompetitive organizations receiving government subsidies. This may result in furtherequity issues among volunteers, owing to the effects of different types and levels ofrecognition and reward on the capabilities of service organizations.

Another possible issue involves inefficiency in management tasks, including the strictsupervision of volunteer activities and assessment of volunteer time for fair andreasonable enforcement of volunteer recognition programs.

Despite an increased awareness of such problems, there remains a question as towhether or not volunteer recognition and rewards may enhance the value ofvolunteerism. It has been previously noted that the volunteer recognition program mustbe evaluated to determine whether it prevents volunteer dropout and increases volunteersatisfaction (Lee and Jung, 2006).

One of the primary objectives of this study was to evaluate the types of volunteerrecognition provided to Korean volunteers, using data acquired via a nationwide surveyon volunteers from various age groups. This study additionally assesses the moderateeffects of degree of recognition and reward on the satisfaction with and continuity ofvolunteer activities. It is hoped that this study will contribute to our current knowledgeregarding the practical implications of volunteer recognition programs, specifically interms of their ability to enhance the value of volunteerism and improve the efficiency ofvolunteer activities.

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LITERATURE REVIEW

The Concept of Volunteer Recognition

Recognition refers to “the acknowledgement of something as valid,” “an act ofrecognizing,” or “the state of being recognized.” Within this context, volunteerrecognition is generally viewed as an expression of gratitude or appreciation forvolunteers’ contributions and an acknowledgement of the inherent value of volunteeractivities (Fisher & Ackeman, 1998; Volunteer 21, 2001; Choi, 2005; Points of LightFoundation, 2005).

Whereas recognition is an acknowledgement of value, reward can be perceived as amethod or means by which value can be acknowledged—rewards can be tangible orintangible benefits to recognized activities. Rewards for volunteer activities can beobtained via a broad variety of channels. Typical rewards include those additionalbenefits that volunteers may obtain as the result of their own activities, or rewards theycan acquire via personal accomplishment. These benefits include a sense of worthiness,enjoyment, association with others, enlargement of experiences, exploration of job. etc.

However, reward by recognition is provided via management of volunteer activitiesby other external systems such as external organizations. These factors differ in manyrespects from benefits via voluntary activies.

Therefore, in this paper, volunteer recognition can be generally conceptualized as atangible or intangible method provided by external systems, which functions as anexpression of appreciation and gratitude for volunteers’ valuable activities. The volunteerrecognition program is a systematic set of types and standards of recognition andassociated enforcement measures.

Methods of volunteer recognition range from a simple expression of gratitude to theoffer of small gifts or awards. A classification of recognition methods should improveour current understanding of volunteer recognition. Generally speaking, types ofvolunteer recognition can be divided into intangible and tangible (Sue, 1996: 43) or intoofficial and unofficial (Volunteer 21, 2001: 244). Choi (2005) divided the methods intothree types: socio-psychological, educational and cultural, and economic. These di- ortrichotomous divisions are so abstract that they can miss some detailed recognitionmethods.

Alternatively, this study employs a practical scheme for the classification of volunteerrecognition methods. It not only encompasses the majority of existing methods ofvolunteer recognition, but also discerns each type of method from the others byappropriating Chambers’ (2000) classification scheme of social welfare services andpayments.

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Theoretical and Practical Approach to Recognition and Rewards

Recognition is a strategy used frequently by charitable and nonprofit organizations,including volunteer centers (Fisher & Ackerman, 1998). Volunteer recognition activity isincluded as one of the 23 best management practices for volunteer activities identified bythe UPS Foundation (UPS, 2002). A number of previous studies have identified aprofound correlation between effective volunteer management programs, includingrecognition activities, and the efficacy of volunteer activities by nonprofit organizationsin the United States (Hager & Brudney, 2004; Brudney & Nezhina, 2005).

However, perspectives on the importance of volunteer recognition by volunteercenters and society vary considerably across nations and cultures. According to a Britishsurvey regarding volunteer activities, only approximately 50% of 832 respondentsreported that recognition is important (Low et al., 2007). Despite this, approximately90% of respondents reported feeling fully recognized for their activities. On the otherhand, findings from another British survey of volunteer management staff demonstratedthat 78% of 1,240 volunteer organizations currently employ recognition and rewardschemes (Machin & Paine, 2008). In Kazakhstan, 51% of volunteer organizationsemploy volunteer recognition programs, including award ceremonies, certificateissuances, etc. (Brudney and Nezhina, 2005). In Korea, approximately 70% of volunteerorganizations, including local volunteer centers, have official regulations for theperformance of recognition programs, which have become their greatest concern (Jung &Nam, 2008).

What are the theoretical factors that have made volunteer recognition and reward socritically important?

First, they can be found in volunteers’ work motivation. Motivation is the core of theactualization and continuity of voluntary work from both theoretical and practicalperspectives (Yeung, 2004). Volunteers’ motivations have been studied extensively bymany researchers. Most motivations have been explained in terms of egoism andaltruism. Clary et al. (1998) developed six components of motivation using the AmericanVolunteer Functions Inventory: value, understanding, esteem, social, career, andprotective. Such volunteer motiviations are changing, and egoistic motivation is recently

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Figure 1. Types of Volunteer Recognition and Rewards

< Informal > Formal

Emotional Recognition

Verbal and nonverbal thanks, thank-you letter or card

Opportunity

Education Celemony Newtask

Souvenir

SouvenirBadge, Mug etc.

Credit

Discount coupon Concert ticketParking permits

Social Recognition

Volunteer insurance CertificatesAward

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the preferred explanatory paradigm (Yeung, 2004). It is frequently argued that egoisticmotivation may be associated with tangible recognition, physical outputs, andcompensation expectations (Kottasz, 2004).

Second, expectations regarding activity recognition and reward can be explained by“expectation theory,” which posits that the expectations of recognition and rewardfunction as motivating factors for socially desirable behaviors, such as helping needypeople. The compensation expectation may cause volunteers to anticipate receiving somebenefits from volunteer organizations and society at large (Yun, 2006). Additionally, theexpectation theory holds that the continuity of volunteer activities is determined bycompensation expectations and the significance of outputs from the activities (Ahn,2002). After all, it appears fairly likely that volunteer motivations and continuousparticipation are interconnected with a sense of mission and the expectation of additionalbenefits from volunteer activities.

From these two representative perspectives, it can be inferred that the recognition andrewards from external systems could fulfill egoistic motivations and facilitate moreprolonged periods of volunteer activity.

There has been a general paucity of empirical research to determine the effects ofvolunteer recognition programs on volunteer activities in Korea. Some studies havedetermined that volunteer recognition positively impacts the intensity, commitment,continuity, and involvement of volunteer activities (Choi, 2005). It has also beendemonstrated that volunteer recognition helps to improve volunteers’ self-esteem andpride (Lee & Jung, 2006), and satisfaction with recognition and reward is related closelyto high levels of satisfaction with volunteer activities (Jo, 2007). Additionally,recognition and rewards as well as education and training programs for volunteersprofoundly influenced the continuity of volunteer activities, relative to other volunteermanagement practices (Ahn, 2002).

However, it is difficult to conclude that volunteer recognition has positive effects onall types of volunteers. According to the findings generated by an experimental studyconducted by Fisher and Ackerman (1998), volunteer recognition is effective only whenstrong participation motivations and high prior expectations of recognition exist amongthe volunteer groups. The effects of recognition are not significant in situations involvinga lack of motivation and low prior expectations. Additionally, Finkelstein (2008) andMillette and Gagne (2008) have suggested that volunteer satisfaction and retention werefactors related to volunteer’s altruistic and self-oriented motives, as opposed to externalrewards.

Such empirical studies have generated contrary results regarding the effects ofrecognition and reward. Therefore, it is clearly worthwhile to investigate the degree towhich volunteer recognition and reward actually affect volunteers’ satisfaction andcontinuity in Korea’s volunteer community.

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RESEARCH METHOD

Sampling and Data Collection

The sample utilized in this study included volunteers registered at 248 volunteercenters across the entire country. The manager of each center was instructed to select fivevolunteers randomly from those working at his or her center, with an eye towardensuring bias-free procedures with age, gender, and activity fields.

This survey was conducted from the 5th to the 20th of August 2008, and the responsesof individual volunteers were collected by mail. Among 1,250 total distributedquestionnaires, 705 cases were collected and employed in this study. Commonly, the rateof return through mailed questionnaires is low; in this study, however, the return rate wasa relatively high, 56%. The entire data collection process was conducted with thefinancial support of the Korean Ministry of Public Administration and Security.

Measurement and Analysis

Volunteer satisfaction, which was employed as the dependent variable in this study,was measured on a 5-point scale, with 15 items extracted from the 21-item volunteersatisfaction inventory used previously in the studies of Francies (1982), Lee (2004), Yun(2006) and other researchers. The volunteer satisfaction scale in this study was explainedas a single factor (Cronbach’s = .91).

The length of accumulated activity periods (recorded as months) was employed inorder to assess the continuity of volunteer activities. As the continuity of activitiesappeared to be skewed toward shorter activity periods, the values were transformed intonatural logarithms, such that they were normally distributed.

The volunteers’ recognition experiences were measured using 20 types ofrecognition, most of which are used in the volunteer sector. All the items were measuredby a 3-point Likert scale: “never received,” “sometimes received,” and “alwaysreceived.”

Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted in order to assess the moderateeffects of volunteer recognition experiences on satisfaction and the continuity ofactivities. However, it is difficult to ascertain whether only recognition experiencesaffected the satisfaction and continuity of volunteer activities. Therefore, the individualdemographics tested in previous studies were input into the model as independentvariables in the first block, and the characteristics associated with volunteer activitieswere allocated to the second block. The volunteer recognition experiences variable wasinput into the third block.

This hierarchical regression analysis assessed the statistical significance of themoderate effects of the volunteer recognition experiences variable through changes in R-

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squared values.

ANALYTIC RESULTS

Descriptive Analysis

Of the respondents, 73.8% were women and the average age of the respondents was39 years. With regard to occupation, 52.2% of the respondents were wage workers suchas white-collar or skilled workers, whereas 26.9% were housewives, 11.2% werestudents, and 0.7% were jobless males, including retirees. Of all respondents, 35.4%reported having no religion, 25.8% were Buddhist, 21.5% Protestant, and 14.0%Catholic. With regard to economic status, 55.7% of the respondents identified themselvesas middle-class, whereas 29.8% identified themselves as lower-class and 14.5% asupper-class.

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Table 1. Demographics of Respondents

Variables Statistics (%)

1. GenderMale 181 (25.7)Female 520 (73.8)

2. AgeMean :39years old

(SD:11.6)

3. JobStudent 77 (11.2)Housewife 185 (26.9)Wage Worker 359 (52.2)No Job (including retired) 67 ( 9.7)

4. ReligionProtestant 151 (21.5)Catholic 99 (14.0)Buddhism 181 (25.8)Others 16 ( 2.3)None 250 (35.4)

5. Economic Status of familyBelow Middle 199 (29.8)Middle 390 (55.7)Above Middle 101 (14.5)

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With regard to the characteristiscs of volunteer activities, 56.8% of the respondentsworked in the social services field, including social welfare organizations, sociallydisadvantaged groups, medical institutions, etc. Additionally, 22.5% of the respondentsparticipated in local community programs, such as environmental protection and trafficorder programs, whereas 20.7% worked in other fields, including cultural, art, and publicadministration programs.

Of all respondents, 50.7% participated in volunteer activities as members of officialvolunteer organizations, whereas 19.2% worked in small units. The other 28.6%appeared to be individual participants. Of respondents whose volunteer organizationsretained volunteer management staff, 86.5% reported that they also maintained directstaff. Whereas 77.7% of the respondents were provided with one or more basic orprofessional education programs, 20.3% were never provided with any educationprograms. The duration of volunteer activities ranged from 1 month to 38 years, and theaverage duration was 59.1 months (4 years and 9 months). The average frequency ofvolunteer participation in a one-month period was 3.78, which corresponds to anapproximate frequency of once per week, whereas the average length of activities wasapproximately 4 hours.

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Table 2. Characteristics of Volunteer Activities

Variables Statistics (%)

1. Service areaSocial service (welfare, health, others) 292 (56.8)Community and Environment 155 (22.5)Others (arts, public institution, etc.) 143 (20.7)

2. Activity TypeIndividual 201 (28.6)Member of Team 135 (19.2)Member of Organization 357 (50.7)

3. Volunteer Manager in Service organizationYes 610 (86.5)None 143 (20.3)

4. Experience of volunteer educationYes 548 (77.7)None 143 (20.3)

5. Volunteer Duration Mean : 59.1month (SD:61.6)

6. Volunteer Frequency Mean : 3.78 per month (SD:3.9)

7. Volunteer Hours Mean : 3.93 h. per one time (SD:8.1)

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Experiences of Recognition and its Benefits

Of all respondents, 65% felt recognized to some degree for their activities by theirvolunteer organizations, whereas 16% responded that they felt fully recognized and18.1% did not feel recognized. Only 57.6% of the respondents reported that they feltsomewhat recognized for their activities by society in general, whereas 40.9% did notfeel recognized.

These findings imply that Korean volunteers are more likely to experiencerecognition by volunteer organizations than by society at large.

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Table 3. Subjective Experiences of Recognition

Variables Statistics

1. Recognition from service organizationsNot feel recognized 128 (18.1%)Somewhat recognized 459 (65.0%)Fully recognized 113 (16.0%)

2. Recognition from general societyNot feel recognized 289 (40.9%)Somewhat recognized 339 (48.0%)Fully recognized 68 (9.6%)

The types of volunteer recognition provided by volunteer organizations are asfollows: types of recognition that are most frequently provided, such as volunteerinsurance coverage, expression of gratitude, provision of education and trainingopportunities, offers of new experiences, and the issuance of volunteer activitycertificates; types of recognition that are occasionally provided, such as provision ofevents, souvenirs, and meals; and other rarely offered recognition types, includingparking permits, concert tickets, birthday celebration, commemoration badge for long-term activities, and awards.

Table 4. Major Types of Recognition Provided

Ranking Provision Degree of Recognition

Never Provided Sometimes Provided Always Provided

1 Parking permit Opportunity for education Volunteer insuranceand training

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Impacts on Volunteer Satisfaction and Continuity

To evalulate the effects of volunteer recognition on satisfaction, hierarchicalregression analyses were conducted. In the first step of analysis, only sociodemographiccharacteristics of volunteers were input, and the adjusted R2 was .02, which is quite low.The addition of volunteer activity characteristics in the second step resulted in a muchhigher adjusted R2 (.21) with the statistically significant changes in R2. In the third step,the volunteer recognition variable was added and the adjusted R2 was increased to .24with a significant change in R2. This demonstrates that volunteer recognition hasmoderate effects on volunteer satisfaction. However, it also must be considered that asmaller amount of change in R2 ensued after the addition of the recognition variable thanafter the addition of the volunteer acitivity characteristics in the second block.

In this analysis, we detected some significant variables that influence volunteersatisfaction. According to our sociodemographic results, job holders—includinghousewives—were found to be generally more satisfied than jobless men. Those who’dhad one or more education programs tended to be more satisfied than those who hadnever engaged in such programs. It appears likely that more frequent volunteer activitiesincrease satisfaction levels.

Some interesting findings were noted with the volunteer recognition variable in thefull steps; that is, those who were never recognized or were only occasionally recognizedfor their activities reported low levels of satisfaction. In particular, cases in which norecognition experiences were reported exhibited a more profound negative influence thancases in which occasional recognition experiences occurred. However, the effects of“always experienced” recognition on satisfaction were positive, but not statisticallysignificantly so.

The results of analysis of the effects of recognition on the continuity of volunteeractivities resulted in significant changes in the adjusted R2 after the addition of thevolunteer characteristics in the second block to the first-block sociodemographicvariables. The explanatory power increased significantly after the addition of therecognition variable.

It was determined that age, volunteer education experiences, and frequency of

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2 Concert ticket, Events for volunteers Individual and emotional merchandise coupon support

3 Bithday party or events Souvenir Opportunity for education andtraning

4 Badge for long-term activity Individual and emotional Opportunity for new support experiences and tasks

5 Arward Meals Issurance for certification

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activities significantly affected the continuity of volunteer activities. “Never receivedrecognition” was negatively related with the continuity of activities, whereas “alwaysreceived recognition” was positively related with continuity, but not statisticallysignificantly so. Only “sometimes received recognition” was associated with asignificantly positive effect on the continuity of activities.

These results demonstrate significant positive effects of volunteer recognition onsatisfaction and the continuity of activities. Those who were never recognized for theiractivities were likely to evidence low levels of satisfaction. However, those who werevery frequently recognized appeared likely to hold a high level of satisfaction with theiractivities, although this result was not statistically significant. In other words, volunteerrecognition is relatively important in relation to volunteer satisfaction, but recognitionfrequency evidences no significant effects on satisfaction.

Recognition was also positively related with continuity of activities, but its effect wasalso rather limited. This is because only “sometimes recognition” positively affectedcontinuity to a statistically significant degree.

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Table 5. Recognition impacts on Volunteer Satisfaction and Continuity

Steps Satisfaction Continuity

Steps Adj. R2 F change Adj. R2 F change

1st Block1. Gender a) .025 .0132. Age -.018 .395***3. Economic Status .046 .0014. Job Status b) .02 3.17** .21 25.48***Student -.022 .032Housewife .163* .031Wage worker .143* .080

2nd Block5. Volunteer education c) .121*** .183***6. Activity Types d)

by team member .077 .21 26.73*** .068 .28 11.34***by Org. member .069 .0597. Volunteer Manager e) .336*** -.0448. Activity Frequency .175*** .153***

3rd Block9. Never Recognition -.180*** -.013

10. Sometimes Recognition -.105* .24 6.28*** .117** .29 3.66**11. Always Recognition .033 .020

a) male=0, b) no jobs=0, c) none=0, d) individual=0, e) none=0*p<.05, **p<.01, ***p<.001

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DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS

The principal objective of this empirical study was to determine how much and inwhich ways volunteers’ activities are affected by volunteer recognition and rewards,which have recently become the subject of increasing attention in the volunteer field. Theresults of this study revealed the rather limited effects of volunteer recognition onsatisfaction with and continuity of volunteer activities. In other words, “occasionalrecognition” might prove helpful in maintaining satisfaction with and continuity ofvolunteer activities, compared to “never recognition” or “always recognition” conditions.It was additionally assumed that excessive or frequent recognition causes volunteers tobecome accustomed to routine recognition, rather than focusing them on the actualmeaning or intrinsic value of their own activities. Rather, volunteers’ satisfaction levelsand continuity of activity can be viewed as being driven not only by external reward, butalso by other managerial factors.

The limited effects of volunteer recognition may have derived from the changingvolunteering styles referred to by Hustinx & Lammertyn (2003), from collective oindividualized forms, and from institutionalized to self-monitoring and self-organizedforms. Therefore, smarter volunteers tend to acknowledge the value of their volunteeractivities and to be satisfied with themselves, thus indicating that their satisfaction doesnot solely depend on simple acknowledgement and praise provided by the organizationor by society at large.

Additionally, “individual activity,” the characteristic of changing volunteer styles asmentioned above, may have been inherent to our findings regarding the effects ofrecognition, as the effects of group or organization-based activities were not significantwhen compared to individual activities. This notion is bolstered by the findings of Lee &Hwang (2004) showing that individually participating volunteers were more likely to behighly satisfied with their activities.

This study also detected some other very important factors that influence volunteers’satisfaction with and continuity of activity. First among these factors is the frequency ofvolunteer participation. Those who frequently participated in volunteer activities weremore likely to have higher levels of satisfaction and to participate in volunteer activitiesfor longer periods. This is because voluntary, self-performed tasks are likely tostrengthen volunteers’ activities, relative to the simple observation or monitoring ofvolunteer activities (Mulligan & Iiornstein, 2003).

Additionally, it is important that relationships with volunteer managers and educationprograms have significant effects on volunteers’ levels of satisfaction with theiractivities. This means that the establishment of trust between volunteers and staff and theconstant provision of education and training programs for volunteers can still be regardedas essential volunteer management skills.

The findings of this study have some notable practical implications. First, the method

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of operating volunteer recognition programs must be well tailored to individual volunteeractivities, and each volunteer should be provided with a clear explanation andunderstanding of why they were recognized by the relevant volunteer organization or thesociety at large.

Second, it appears necessary that constant efforts be exerted to improve othervolunteer management skills, including education, placement, and supervision byprofessional personnel. Volunteer managers in organizations should remind volunteersthat their satisfaction levels and the continuity of their activity may be more profoundlyrelated to their own activities than to excessive external rewards.

This study was designed to identify and evaluate the effects of recognition on thesatisfaction levels and activity continuity of Korean volunteers, and to explain thoseeffects and their implications. However, this study is also limited in that it could notexplain the different effects among recognition types, regardless of the volunteers’motivations. Further research into this area of inquiry is clearly warranted, and it isexpected that the answers provided in this study will eventually be revisited in muchgreater detail.

REFERENCESAhn, Eun Young. 2002. A study on the influences of the management process of

volunteering on continuity in the voluntary activity: focused on the social welfarecenters in Seoul. Master’s Thesis. Graduate School of Yonsei University.

Brudney, J. and T. Nezhina. 2005. What is Old is New Again: Effectiveness withVolunteer Programs in Kazakhstan. International Journal of Voluntary andNonprofit Organizations 16(3): 293–308.

Chambers, D.E. 2000. Social Policy and Social Program. 3rd. ed. USA: Allyn andBacon.

Clary, E. et al. 1998. Understanding and assessing the motivations of volunteers: Afunctional approach. Journal of Personality and Social Pscychology 4: 16–30.

Choi, Eun Sook. 2005. The Effects of Recognition & Rewards on Longevity and Intensityof Volunteer Behaviors. Doctoral Dissertation. Graduate School of PyongtaekUniversity.

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Fisher, R. and D. Ackerman. 1998. The Effect of Recognition and Group Need onVolunteerism: A Social Norm Perspective. Journal of Consumer Research 25:262–275.

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Francies, G. 1982. The Volunteer Needs Profile. USA: Greenbay Wisconsin.

Hager, M. and J. Brudney. 2004. Volunteer Management Practices and Retention ofVolunteers. USA: The Urban Institute.

Hustinx, L. and F. Lammertyn. 2003. Collective and Reflexive Styles of Volunteer : ASociological Modernization Perspective. International Journal of Voluntary andNonprofit Organizations 14(2) :167–187.

Hwang, Sun Young. 2006. A Study of Decisive Factors according to the Satisfaction ofVolunteer Activities and Stability. Journal of Korean Social Welfare Administration8(1):99–124

Jo, Min Gi. 2007. An Improvement Plan about the Recognition and Reward of VolunteerService Work. Master’s Thesis. Graduate School of Social Welfare, DaeguUniversity.

Jung, Jinkyung and Nam, Keechul. 2008. Development of Recognition Program andResearch on the Current Status. Ministration of Public Administration and Security.

Kottasz, R. 2004. Differences in the Donor Behavior Characteristics of Young AffluentMales and Females: Empirical Evidence From Britain. International Journal ofVoluntary and Nonprofit Organizations 15(2):181–203.

Lee, Jae Min. 2004. A Study on Factors Which Influence Satisfaction of VoluntaryService Activities. Master’s Thesis. Graduate School of Public Administration,Yonsei University.

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Millette, V. and M. Gagne. 2008. Designing volunteers’ tasks to maximize motivation,satisfaction and performance: The impact of job characteristics on volunteerengagement. Motivation and Emotion 32:11–22.

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Jinkyung Jung earned master’s and PhD degrees from Ewha Womans University inSeoul. She is currently an associate professor at KwangWoon University and an advisorycommittee member for the National Committee for Volunteering Enhancement and theMinistry of Welfare and Health. Her research interests are in social welfare policy andthe nonprofit sector. E-mail: [email protected]

Received: December 20, 2010

Accepted with two revision: February 17, 2011

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