Volunteer Perception on Career Growth and Social Engineering in Non-Profit Organizations: A Case Study of Make a Wish in New Zealand

Running head: MANAGEMENT
Management
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Table of Content
1. Introduction/Background.......................................................................................................4
1.1 Introduction......................................................................................................................4
1.2 Reasons for choosing the topic........................................................................................4
1.3 Organizational background- Make a wish.......................................................................4
1.4 Problem Statement...........................................................................................................5
1.5 Research objectives..........................................................................................................5
1.6 Research Questions..........................................................................................................6
1.7 Significance of the study..................................................................................................6
2.0 Literature Review.................................................................................................................7
2.1 Professional development in non-profit organizations....................................................7
2.2 Volunteering experience in non-profit organization........................................................8
2.3 What it means to be committed, engaged and happy volunteers.....................................9
2.4 Motivational work in non-profit organization................................................................10
3.0 Research Methodology.......................................................................................................12
3.1 Research Philosophy......................................................................................................12
3.2 Research Design.............................................................................................................12
3.3 Types of Research Design..............................................................................................12
3.4 Data Collection methods:...............................................................................................13
3.5 Data Analysis techniques...............................................................................................14
3.6 Research Ethics..............................................................................................................14
3.7 Research Limitation.......................................................................................................15

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3.8 Research Plan.................................................................................................................15
References................................................................................................................................18
Appendices...............................................................................................................................22
Questionnaire.......................................................................................................................22
Example Participant Information Sheet...................................................................................22
Overview of the Participant Information sheet..................................................................22
Study Title...............................................................................................................................23
Invitation paragraph..............................................................................................................23
What is the purpose of the study?......................................................................................24

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Abstract
This proposed study is analysis of volunteers’ perception of career growth and social
engineering in non-profit organization –Make a Wish located in New Zealand. The study will
include a primary research analysis. Primary data will be collected from volunteers from
Make A Wish. To collect the data qualitative data, interview method will be applied to the
study. A review of volunteers’ perception and commitment towards non-profit organizations
have been performed in this report which indicates that existing studies lack insight in terms
of employee motivation and employee development programs application to non-profit
organizations.

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Topic- Human Resource Staffing and Retention
1. Introduction/Background
1.1 Introduction
The proposed research will analyse volunteer perceptions in relation to career advances and
social engineering in a non-profit organization called Make a Wish located in New Zealand.
The purpose of the study is to analyse the perception of volunteers regarding career growth
opportunities and scope of social engineering in the non-profit organization. Following
section of the topic defines and elaborates reasons for performing the study on the stated
context and aim of the proposed study.
1.2 Reasons for choosing the topic
The topic has been selected because human resource management is the backbone of
entire of operation of any business; this means people are the main asset of organizations
irrespective of the type of business it is. However, in the case of Make A Wish, it is
necessary to learn how a non-profit organization manages or fulfils the needs of its volunteers
such as their career growth. Therefore, the techniques of managing human resource in a
charity foundation has been set as central theme of the proposal. So, the major reason for
selecting the topic is, necessity of learning how a non-profit organization manages its human
resources, while the quest for talents is competitive.
1.3 Organizational background- Make a wish
The organization Make A Wish first started its journey in 1986 with the idea they
heard of Make a Wish in USA and then the journey started in Auckland, New Zealand.
Mission of the organization is to grant the wish of children who are fighting the critical
diseases to enrich human experience with hope, strength and joy. Organization’s vision is to
fulfil the wish of every eligible children. The organization reported the revenue of $74,043 in

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2017 and Wish Revenue Recognition is around $3,091,028 (makeawish.org.nz, 2019). In
addition, the organization is a national charity over 100 volunteers throughout New Zealand
and the foundation has over 50 affiliates worldwide (makeawish.org.nz, 2019).
1.4 Problem Statement
The candidates who are interested in finding “work with meaning” as well as a way to
give back to society while also earning a paycheque could find plenty of opportunities in the
non-profit organizations but the opportunity of career growth and social engineering is
always a concern. Taking this fact into account, volunteer perception on career growth and
social engineering at Make a Wish is a significant issue. It has been identified that non-profit
organization suffers from the “Founder Syndrome”, -the tendency of firm’s founders to build
a deeper sense of ownership over as well as the duties for the organization (Stirling
Kilpatrick, & Orpin, 2011). Thus, for those who have been there from the onset of the
foundation are often reluctant to leave or change how things have always been done; thereby,
such tendency have great impact on subsequent employees with the inclusion of limited
decision-making power with respect to organizational change; a lack of succession planning
in Make A Wish. Unclear hierarchy below the founders making it difficult for employees to
understand the necessary steps to become a future manager or leader and this resulted in
limited potential for growth and advancement within the firm. This indicates that volunteers
are less likely to hold a supervisor position. Thus, it is highly important to perform a study to
learn how volunteers perceive career growth and social engineering from their perspectives.
1.5 Research objectives
The major objectives of the study is to analyse how people at Make a Wish experience
volunteering. This leads to the overall impact; thereby, following objective of the study is to
identify the impact of volunteering on employees. Another significant objectives of the study
is to investigate the factors that motivate volunteers to remain committed.