Economic Analysis: Case Study on Volunteering in Canada

This case study examines the impact of volunteering within the Canadian economy, focusing on the non-profit sector's contributions and challenges. It explores how a pure capitalist system might affect non-profit organizations, potentially hindering their missions and organizational objectives. The study highlights the significant GDP contribution of non-profits, considering the replacement cost of volunteer work. It further analyzes the difficulties non-profit organizations face in recruiting volunteers, including changing volunteer expectations and the need for clear opportunity descriptions. The case study emphasizes the importance of strategic planning and adaptable volunteer roles to address these challenges, and the motivations driving individuals to volunteer, such as skill development and community involvement. References include various sources on the economic impact and challenges related to volunteering.

Running head: CASE STUDY ON VOLUNTEERING
Case Study on Volunteering
Name of the University:
Name of the Student:
Authors Note:

1CASE STUDY ON VOLUNTEERING
Table of Contents
Question 1........................................................................................................................................2
Question 2........................................................................................................................................2
Question 3........................................................................................................................................3
References........................................................................................................................................5

2CASE STUDY ON VOLUNTEERING
Question 1
In case, Canada followed a pure capitalist system, the non-profit sector might have been
affected as this sector greatly relies on volunteers to carry out its activities whose work relies on
the replacement cost approach. Through following a capitalist system Canada might face issues
in fulfilling their missions and attaining organisational objectives. Several issues might also be
faced in a situation where capitalism is followed in Canada as the non-profit companies might
face issues in planning for future, recruiting several types of volunteers and recruiting board
members (A not-for-profit world beyond capitalism and economic growth? | ephemera, 2019). If
Canada followed a pure capitalist system then it might have resulted in creating social problems
as the non-profit sector expanded its operations. Several problems might be faced by the non-
profit organisations in Canada in case the nation starts following pure capitalist system. Such
issues can take placed because of the reason that non-profit businesses might create negative
externalities that essentially privatises profits while socialising costs. Moreover, in a capitalist
market certain type of entanglement between the non-profit business and the government might
also threaten the civil society and democracy (Mark, Hager & Brudney, 2019). In a Canadian
pure capitalist system the non-profit sector must lead the way through demonstrating and
demanding the fact that businesses embrace reciprocal exchanges. In such system, advocacy is
important and effective; however, it might become insufficient due to government’s wide
entanglement with the interests of the non-profit organisations businesses.
Question 2
Non-profit organisations are observed to make a vital contribution to the Canadian
economy that can be measured in terms of GDP. In the country’s economy this can also be

3CASE STUDY ON VOLUNTEERING
termed as the value of generated productive activity as they undertake their missions within the
Canadian society. As per the standard measures, the GDP of the non-profit organisations was
anticipated to be $61.8 Billion that contributed to more than 6.8% of the nation’s overall
economy (Canada's nonprofit sector in economic terms., 2019). For the reason that non-profit
organisations in Canada rely greatly on the volunteers, GDP of the nation is observed to get
extended account for certain replacement cost value for the volunteer work. This also indicates
the expense to replace volunteer efforts in case the similar services were acquired within the paid
labour market. The extension for the volunteers’ activity within the non-profit organisations can
be observed to facilitate a complete valuation of the non-profit sector's GDP. This can be done
through accurately accounting for its complete use of available productive resources. At the time
the value of the volunteer work, the existence of the operating surplus in GDP for this group
segment along with an increased share of indirect taxes on the production factors (Ottenhoff,
2019). One of the major distinguishing factors of non-profit organisation is that they do not
primarily exist in attaining profits and such significant market activity can attain operating
surplus. Such surplus must be re-invested within the mission of the non-profit organisations and
are not distributed to the owners.
Question 3
The non-profit organisations are observed to deal with difficulties regarding recruitment
of the volunteers. This is turned out to be an increased difficulty as the competition for
volunteers have increased and is in increasing demand for the reasons that a large number of
non-profit organisations seek help. The first challenge that the non-profit organisation faces in
recruiting volunteers is that they do not realise that volunteers have changed (Challenges to the
Recruitment and Retention of Volunteers in Traditional Nonprofit Organizations: A Case Study

4CASE STUDY ON VOLUNTEERING
of Australian Meals on Wheels., 2019). These companies need to realise that not just the
volunteers’ expectations and demands are different from the organisation. Another issue that is
faced by these companies in recruiting volunteers is that the non-profit organisations fail to
explain the opportunity descriptions and creating a new job opportunity for Volunteers that is
with the organisational mission. The non-profit organisations also face with difficulties in
analysing their overall volunteer program in assigning suitable role for the volunteers. These
companies require to have an open mind, assessment along with strategic planning that can
familiar in assigning relevant job roles to the volunteers based on which they can be recruited
(Michael et al., 2019).
In such scenario, the encouragement to become a volunteer as the work comes with
exciting opportunities and it offers flexible challenging and creative work opportunities. In
addition, certain other motivators in doing the volunteer job includes attaining opportunities of
skill sharing, getting to know a community, attaining leadership skills and demonstrating
commitment to certain cause. Motivations to volunteer also include the chances of getting
assistance that can help in attaining the career or promotions desired.

5CASE STUDY ON VOLUNTEERING
References
A not-for-profit world beyond capitalism and economic growth? | ephemera. (2019). Retrieved
26 July 2019, from http://www.ephemerajournal.org/contribution/not-profit-world-
beyond-capitalism-and-economic-growth
Canada's nonprofit sector in economic terms. (2019). Retrieved 26 July 2019, from
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/13-015-x/2004000/4069437-eng.htm
Challenges to the Recruitment and Retention of Volunteers in Traditional Nonprofit
Organizations: A Case Study of Australian Meals on Wheels. (2019). Retrieved 26 July
2019, from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01900692.2017.1390581
Mark A., Hager Jeffrey L. & Brudney (2019). Retrieved 26 July 2019, from
http://webarchive.urban.org/UploadedPDF/411125_balancing_act.pdf
Michael H., Hall Cathy W., Barr M., Easwaramoorthy S., Wojciech Sokolowski Lester M. &
Salamon (2019). Retrieved 26 July 2019, from
http://sectorsource.ca/sites/default/files/resources/files/jhu_report_en.pdf
Ottenhoff, B. (2019). Capitalism in crisis: Lessons for the nonprofit sector. Retrieved 26 July
2019, from https://trust.guidestar.org/2012/02/06/capitalism-in-crisis-lessons-for-the-
nonprofit-sector/