Abstract
Professional associations face the challenge of member engagement. This study examined the effects of members’ need fulfillment and perceived organizational support on their attitude toward the professional association and engagement with the association with a survey of 13,229 members from 18 associations. More specifically, this analysis focused on members’ perceptions of need fulfillment and organizational support as motivations of member engagement. Our results suggested that member perception of need fulfillment and organizational support positively influenced their attitude toward their association, which was positively related to their engagement with the association in volunteering and donating funds. In addition, members’ perceived support from the association was found to motivate their engagement with the association. Moreover, we identified gaps in members’ volunteering behavior between junior and senior members: career status significantly moderated the relationship between attitude toward and volunteering for the association, with junior members showing a stronger effect. The theoretical and practical implications of this study were discussed.
Résumé
Les associations professionnelles font face à des problèmes relatifs à l’engagement de leurs membres. La présente étude se penche sur les effets qu’ont la satisfaction des besoins des membres et le soutien organisationnel perçu par eux sur leur attitude et leur engagement envers leur association professionnelle. Pour ce faire, nous avons questionné 13,229 membres de 18 associations. Cette analyse porte plus précisément sur la perception des membres quant à l’importance qu’ont la satisfaction des besoins et le soutien organisationnel en tant que facteurs d’incitation à l’engagement. Nos résultats suggèrent que la perception des membres sur la satisfaction des besoins et le soutien organisationnel a une influence positive sur leur attitude envers leur association, ce qui se traduit par des résultats positifs en termes de bénévolat et de dons. De plus, le soutien que les membres pensent recevoir de leur association les incite à s’engager. Qui plus est, nous avons identifié des écarts dans les comportements des membres bénévoles jeunes et plus vieux: l’état professionnel modère largement la relation entre l’attitude envers l’association et le bénévolat fait en son nom, et les jeunes membres sont plus fortement touchés. Nous discutons des implications théoriques et pratiques de ladite étude.
Zusammenfassung
Professionelle Verbände stehen vor der Herausforderung, Mitglieder zu engagieren. Diese Studie untersuchte anhand einer Befragung von 13.229 Mitgliedern von 18 Verbänden, wie sich die Erfüllung von Mitgliederbedürfnissen und die empfundene Unterstützung seitens der Organisation auf die Haltung der Mitglieder gegenüber des professionellen Verbandes und ihr Engagement bei dem Verband auswirkten. Insbesondere konzentrierte sich die Analyse darauf, wie die Wahrnehmung der Mitglieder mit Hinblick auf die Erfüllung ihrer Bedürfnisse und die Unterstützung seitens der Organisation das Mitglieder-Engagement motivierte. Die Ergebnisse deuteten darauf hin, dass sich die Wahrnehmung der Mitglieder hinsichtlich der Erfüllung ihrer Bedürfnisse und der Unterstützung seitens der Organisation positiv auf ihre Haltung gegenüber des Verbands auswirkte, was wiederum in einem positiven Verhältnis zu einem ehrenamtlichen Engagement und geleisteten Geldspenden für den Verband stand. Des Weiteren zeigte sich, dass die von den Mitgliedern wahrgenommene Unterstützung seitens des Verbands sie motivierte, sich für den Verband zu engagieren. Darüber hinaus sah man Unterschiede zwischen dem ehrenamtlichen Engagement von neuen und langjährigen Mitgliedern: Der Karriere-Status hatte einen bedeutend moderierenden Effekt auf die Beziehung zwischen der Haltung gegenüber des Verbands und einer ehrenamtlichen Tätigkeit bei dem Verband, wobei der Effekt bei neuen Mitgliedern stärker war. Die theoretischen und praktischen Implikationen dieser Studie werden diskutiert.
Resumen
Las asociaciones profesionales se enfrentan al desafío del compromiso de sus miembros. El presente estudio examinó los efectos de la satisfacción de las necesidades de los miembros y el apoyo de la organización percibido sobre su actitud hacia la asociación profesional y el compromiso con la asociación mediante una encuesta de 13.229 miembros de 18 asociaciones. En concreto, este análisis se centró en las percepciones por parte de los miembros de la satisfacción de las necesidades y el apoyo de la organización como motivaciones para el compromiso de los miembros. Nuestros resultados sugirieron que la percepción por parte de los miembros de la satisfacción de las necesidades y el apoyo de la organización influyeron positivamente en su actitud hacia su asociación, que estaba relacionada de manera positiva con su compromiso con la asociación en el voluntariado y en la donación de fondos. Asimismo, se encontró que el apoyo de la asociación percibido por los miembros motivaba su compromiso con la asociación. Igualmente, identificamos diferencias en el comportamiento con respecto al voluntario de los miembros entre miembros jóvenes y mayores: el estatus de la carrera moderaba de manera significativa la relación entre la actitud hacia la asociación y la realización de voluntariado para la asociación, mostrando un efecto más fuerte los miembros jóvenes. Se tratan tas implicaciones teóricas y prácticas del presente estudio.
摘要
专业协会面临着成员管理的挑战。通过调查来自18家协会的13,229位成员,本研究调查了成员的需求满足和可感知的组织支持对他们有关专业协会的态度,以及参与协会的影响。更具体地说,本分析专注于成员对需求满足和组织支持的感知作为成员参与的动机。我们的结果表明,成员的需求满足和组织支持感知会积极影响其对协会的态度,其态度与参与协会的志愿活动和捐赠资金活动积极相关。此外,成员对协会支持的感知被认为会激励其参与协会。此外,我们确定了初级和资深成员之间的志愿行为差距:职业状态显著缓和成员对协会的态度及其志愿活动之间的关系,初级成员表现的影响更强。本研究同时 讨论了理论和实践意义。
ملخص
تواجه الرابطات المهنية التحدي المتمثل في مشاركة الأعضاء. قد بحثت هذه الدراسة آثار حاجة الأعضاء إلى تحقيق وفهم الدعم التنظيمي على موقفهم من الارتباط المهني والمشاركة مع الجمعية بإستطلاع رأي 13229 عضوا من 18 جمعية. بشكل أكثر تحديدا”، ركز هذا التحليل على تصورات الأعضاء حول الحاجة إلى الإنجاز والدعم التنظيمي كدوافع لمشاركة الأعضاء. و إقترحت نتائجنا أن تصور الأعضاء عن الحاجة إلى الإنجاز والدعم التنظيمي أثرت إيجابيا” على موقفهم من إرتباطهم، والذي كان مرتبطا” إرتباطا” إيجابيا” مع مشاركتهم مع الجمعية في العمل التطوعي والتبرع بالأموال. بالإضافة إلى ذلك، حددنا أن دعم الأعضاء المتصور من الجمعية يحفز مشاركتهم مع الجمعية. علاوة على ذلك، حددنا فجوات في سلوك التطوع لدى الأعضاء بين صغار السن وكبار السن: فقد أدى الوضع الوظيفي إلى إضعاف العلاقة بين االتجاه نحو العمل التطوعي والجمعيات، حيث أظهر الأعضاء صغار السن تأثيرا” أقوى. تمت مناقشة الآثار النظرية والعملية لهذه الدراسة.
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Notes
The eighteen associations were: American Chemical Society, American College of Healthcare Executives, American Geophysical Union, American Health Information Management Association, American Society for Quality, American Society of Civil Engineers, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, College of American Pathologists, Credit Union Executives Society, Emergency Nurses Association, IEEE, Institute of Food Technologies, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Athletic Trainers Association, National Court Reporters Association, National Society of Accountants, Project Management Institute, and School Nutrition Association.
SRMR is an index of the standardized difference between the observed and the predicted covariance matrices (Chen 2007). GFI assesses whether the hypothesized model fits with the observed covariance matrix (Baumgartner and Homburg 1996). NFI assesses the discrepancy between the Chi-squared value of the hypothesized model and that of the null model (Bentler and Bonett, 1980). CFI is an index of the extent to which the tested model is better than an alternative model in reproducing the observed covariance matrix (Bentler 1990).
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This study was funded by the Institute for Nonprofit Research, Education, and Engagement at North Carolina State University.
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The corresponding author, Eyun-Jung Ki, has received research grants from the Institute for Nonprofit Research, Education, and Engagement at North Carolina State University.
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Wang, Y., Ki, EJ. Membership Matters: Why Members Engage with Professional Associations. Voluntas 29, 71–82 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11266-017-9873-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11266-017-9873-x