From motivation to organizational commitment of volunteers in non-profit sport organizations: The role of job satisfaction

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating role of job satisfaction in the relationship between volunteers' motivation and affective commitment in non-profit sport organizations. Design/methodology/approach: A mail survey was conducted with a sample of 214 individuals who volunteered at 22 non-profit sport organizations in a Midwestern state of the USA. Findings: Results from structural equation modeling analysis supported the partial mediation role of job satisfaction. The values factor of volunteers' motivation had a significant direct impact on affective commitment, and job satisfaction partially mediated the relationship between values and affective commitment. Research limitations/implications: Although volunteer motivation influences the level of organizational commitment, volunteers who are motivated by their values would be more satisfied with their volunteer experience and consequently be more committed to the non-profit sport organization. Originality/value: Little research has specifically addressed volunteer commitment and its links to volunteer motivation and job satisfaction in the context of non-profit sport organizations. Therefore, the study contributes to the understanding of volunteers' motivation and how it influences commitment toward non-profit sport organizations.