Volunteer management

Science or arts

Datos Bibliográficos

ID17828152
AutoresRam Cnaan (0000-0001-5320-796X, Kyung Hee University, autor de correspondencia), Daniel Y Choi (0000-0002-4481-3551, University of Pennsylvania)
Año2026
Páginas1-26
Fecha de publicación2026-05-05
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaJournal of Chinese Governance (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 2381-2354 • E-ISSN: 2381-2346
EditorialTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/23812346.2026.2664899
OpenAlexW7160289055
IdiomaEN
Referencias citadas112

The existing literature on volunteering largely focuses on volunteers’ characteristics and motivations, with comparatively less attention to how volunteers are managed. Moreover, much of the research on volunteer management relies on frameworks drawn from Human Resource Management (HRM). This article presents findings from a scoping review of key volunteer management literature, supplemented by a critical thematic analysis, to advance understanding of this domain. We first argue that volunteers and paid employees are motivated by fundamentally different factors, requiring distinct management approaches. We then show how these differences complicate the direct application of traditional HRM practices to volunteer management. Next, we identify non-HRM volunteer management practices widely supported in the literature, followed by a discussion of underutilized HRM practices that could strengthen management in nonprofit organizations (NPOs). Finally, we propose context-sensitive recommendations that emphasize tailored, person-centered, and empowering strategies, moving beyond conventional HRM paradigms to better align with volunteers’ unique characteristics and motivations.

Human resource management · Human resources · Thematic analysis · Volunteer · Volunteer work · Community and Sustainable Development · Nonprofit Sector and Volunteering · Tourism, Volunteerism, and Development