Abstract
Building on the functional approach theory, the current study empirically examined the influences of servant leadership behaviors on volunteers’ motivations and on their organizational commitment feelings. In addition, it also examined servant leadership’s indirect influences via those motivations on volunteers’ commitment feelings. To test its hypotheses, the study used the data collected from 385 volunteers. The research has found out that the degree of perceived servant leadership behaviors affected both participants’ motivation to volunteer and their affective and normative commitments feelings toward their organizations. Furthermore, as one of the six dimensions of the motivation concept suggested by the functional approach theory, only the protective motive partially mediated the influences of perceived servant leadership behaviors on the volunteers’ normative commitment attitudes. The study discussed the possible rationales under these research findings and made some future research proposals. The study hopes that its findings, through responding to expectations of their voluntary members, help voluntary organizations to be more effective and efficient in their recruiting and sustaining efforts.
Highlights
Different from other types of helping behaviors by its key defining features as voluntary, planned, sustained, and ongoing helpfulness that mostly calls for substantial amount of personal resources (Clary et al, 1998; Piliavin & Charng, 1990), volunteerism requires people to forgo something important to themselves and to engage in those helping services in a steady manner over long periods of time
Because the focus of the investigation is on how the leader behaviors are perceived by each volunteer, each volunteer’s individual motivations that lead them to volunteer, and the level of commitment they feel toward their organizations, the current research examined all the main variables in question at the individual level
For identifying the psychometric qualities of the scales used in the study, the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) compared the study’s hypothesized 10-factor model against a single-factor model
Summary
Different from other types of helping behaviors by its key defining features as voluntary, planned, sustained, and ongoing helpfulness that mostly calls for substantial amount of personal resources (e.g., time, money, energy, and/or opportunity) (Clary et al, 1998; Piliavin & Charng, 1990), volunteerism requires people to forgo something important to themselves and to engage in those helping services in a steady manner over long periods of time. Before beginning any voluntary activity, that altruistic and demanding nature of volunteering makes individuals go through a decision process in which they think of and evaluate the personal reasons, needs, goals, possible costs, and results of being a volunteer (Benson et al, 1980; Clary et al, 1998). To comprehend those motivational foundations of volunteerism, the present study has adopted the functional approach which describes the individual and social functions which a person expects to obtain in return of his or her thoughts and conducts (Snyder, 1993).
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
