The nonprofit case for corporate volunteering: a multi-level perspective

ABSTRACT

This article argues that the nonprofit case for corporate volunteering is complex, requiring a multi-level perspective on the outcomes for nonprofit organizations (NPOs). To develop this perspective, we adopted an inductive research approach, conducting 39 exploratory semi-structured interviews with NPO staff. We argue that NPO scholars and practitioners should disentangle individual and organizational-level outcomes resulting from interactions between corporate volunteers and NPO staff, as such micro-dynamics ultimately affect NPO services. Moreover, these outcomes are subject to conditions at the organizational level (e.g. involvement of intermediaries), as well as at the individual level (e.g. type of assignment). Our study highlights the complexity that should be considered when addressing the fundamental question of whether corporate volunteering contributes to the ability of NPOs to provide their services, and under what conditions. We therefore propose that corporate volunteer management within NPOs is inherently, albeit contingently, intertwined with the services that these organizations provide.     

The effect of buying decisions on consumers' assessment of their tastes

Building on the notion that consumers are often uncertain about their tastes or weights, this research examines the proposition that consumers might infer their importance weights from their choices and the choice sets they evaluate. It is also hypothesized that the degree to which choice affects self-assessed weights depends on the consumer's familiarity with the product category and the available product information. The results of an experiment demonstrated that consumers' assessments of their importance weights can be influenced by the choice set they previously evaluated. This effect, however, was not moderated by familiarity or provided product information.     

Correction Processes in Consumer Choice

Consumers sometimes recognize that irrelevant contextual factors may influence their judgments and decisions. When such factors are detected, consumers might engage in correction processes to counteract unwanted influences in their judgments and decisions. An experiment demonstrated that correction processes can reduce the magnitude of the compromise effect and the attraction effect.