Building sustainable volunteer engagement: Psychological determinants and behavioral outcomes in mega sport events

Abstract

The engagement of volunteers is essential for successfully operating a mega sport event (MSE). This study applied the affective, behavioral, and cognitive model of attitude to advance theoretical understanding of how attitudinal components collectively shape volunteer behavior in MSEs. We conducted face‐to‐face surveys with 271 volunteers recruited during the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games. Structural equation modeling revealed that pride and person–task fit acted as significant predictors of satisfaction, while also directly predicting commitment. Further, commitment, but not satisfaction, served as a key mediator leading to all examined behavioral outcomes, comprising word‐of‐mouth, electronic word‐of‐mouth, cooperation, and intention to continue volunteering. These findings suggest that recruiters should focus on fostering volunteers’sense of pride in their contributions and enhancing person–task fit. Strategies aimed at strengthening commitment are particularly crucial for sustaining long‐term volunteer engagement.