Volunteer omnichannel behavior in nonprofit organizations: Key antecedents and implications for management

Abstract

The purpose of this research consists of identifying the antecedents that may influence the adoption of omnichannel behavior by volunteers. This behavior can be understood as the interchangeable use of online and offline channels, providing volunteers with multiple contact points with nonprofit organizations. To this end, we first propose a conceptual model based on Clary et al.'s motivations framework and other relevant literature. Second, we test our model through quantitative-based research, employing an online questionnaire with a representative sample of 7822 volunteers working for the Spanish Red Cross. We then carry out a hierarchical cluster analysis to group similar volunteers into clusters according to the use they make of the different offline and online channels, followed by an ordered logistic regression analysis to test the hypotheses proposed. First, two volunteer profiles are identified: offline-oriented volunteers with low or no omnichannel behavior, and online-oriented volunteers with high or very high omnichannel behavior. Second, our results suggest that some types of motivations among volunteers (understanding the nonprofit, career or employment opportunities, the advice of family, friends, and acquaintances, and protective reasons), as well as the sense of belonging, perceived usefulness of new technologies, social influence and having feedback channels, all positively influence the adoption of omnichannel behavior by volunteers. Additionally, our findings reveal different effects for the two clusters identified. Finally, and using a contingency approach, implications for nonprofit–volunteer relationship management are drawn.