Abstract
Voluntary participation is connected to cultural, political, religious and social contexts. Social and societal factors can
provide opportunities, expectations and requirements for voluntary activity, as well as influence the values and norms promoting
this. These contexts are especially central in the case of voluntary participation among students as they are often responding
to the societal demands for building a career and qualifying for future assignments and/or government requirements for completing
community service. This article questions how cultural values affect attitudes towards volunteerism, using data from an empirical
research project on student volunteering activity in 13 countries in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia
Pacific region. The findings indicate that there are differences in motivation between countries which represent different
cultural values. This article sets these findings in context by comparing structural and cultural factors which may influence
volunteerism within each country.
provide opportunities, expectations and requirements for voluntary activity, as well as influence the values and norms promoting
this. These contexts are especially central in the case of voluntary participation among students as they are often responding
to the societal demands for building a career and qualifying for future assignments and/or government requirements for completing
community service. This article questions how cultural values affect attitudes towards volunteerism, using data from an empirical
research project on student volunteering activity in 13 countries in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia
Pacific region. The findings indicate that there are differences in motivation between countries which represent different
cultural values. This article sets these findings in context by comparing structural and cultural factors which may influence
volunteerism within each country.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-20
- DOI 10.1007/s10805-011-9131-6
- Authors
- Henrietta Grönlund, Department of Practical Theology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 33, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland
- Kirsten Holmes, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6152, Australia
- Chulhee Kang, Yonsei University, 262 Seongsanno, Seodaemun-GU, Seoul, 120–749 Korea
- Ram A. Cnaan, University of Pennsylvania, 3451 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Femida Handy, University of Pennsylvania, 3451 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Jeffrey L. Brudney, Cleveland State University, 1899 East 22nd Street, Cleveland, OH 44114, USA
- Debbie Haski-Leventhal, Centre for Social Impact, Australian School of Business, University of NSW, Level 6, East, Australian School of Business, UNSW, Kensington, NSW 2033, Australia
- Lesley Hustinx, Ghent University, Korte Meer 3–5, 9000 Gent, Belgium
- Meenaz Kassam, American University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 26666, Sharjah, UAE
- Lucas C. P. M. Meijs, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, PO Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Anne Birgitta Pessi, Helsinki Collegium of Advanced Studies, Fabianinkatu 24, P.O. Box 4, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland
- Bhangyashree Ranade, Marketing & Market Research Consultants, Pune, India
- Karen A. Smith, Victoria University Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, 6140 New Zealand
- Naoto Yamauchi, Osaka School of International Public Policy, Osaka University, 1–31 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560–0043, Japan
- Siniša Zrinščak, Faculty of Law, Department for Social Work, University of Zagreb, Nazorova 51, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
- Journal Journal of Academic Ethics
- Online ISSN 1572-8544
- Print ISSN 1570-1727