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Assessing Volunteer-Based Cultural Organizations in Portugal: What Potential?
Timothy Koehnen, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Department of Economics, Sociology and Management (DESG) Centre for Transdisciplinary Development Studies (CETRAD) University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD) Avenida Almeida Lucena, 1 5000-660 Vila Real, Portugal Tel. + 351 259 302 229 * FAX + 351 259 302 249 * E-mail:[email protected]
Tiago Santos Former UTAD/DESG Student Rua Passagem de Nível 3770- 226 Oliveira do Bairro, Portugal Tel. + 351 938547637 * E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract The case study evaluation addresses organizational behavioural components within volunteer- based cultural organizations in rural mountainous communities in northern Portugal. The assessment of the organizational components resulted in specific suggestions for increasing non- formal educational planning for these volunteers articulated to organizational concerns and community development. The established volunteer-based-platform permits consideration of non- formal educational programs to increase community and organizational decision-making capacity, empowerment, and reflection for alternative leadership styles.
Key Words: volunteers, organizational behaviour, community development
Introduction volunteer-based cultural organizations, they In the summer and fall in Portugal, also strengthen the linkages between there are many cultural and social events tied economic activities such as local to religious celebrations, traditional employment initiatives associated to tourism agricultural gatherings, and of course local (Kayser, 1994). fairs. These religious events and celebrations Through their cultural performances, permit rural villages and towns to maintain a these volunteer-based organizations create link to the cultural past as well as to draw an synergy with the local economy involving influx of tourists with links to the ancestral increased receipts for restaurants, local community population. An important shops, and hotels. The role of the cultural component of these gatherings by clans and and musical groups in the process of local families are the musical and dancing folk development also links to the improvement groups that are a part of these cultural and in the quality of life within these rural areas social traditions. Musical and cultural by the participatory volunteer-based organizations have a role in these activities. Such cultural and musical celebrations by linking visitors to the local activities could also serve as developmental rural identity and the community. As forums to strengthen individual and group ISSN 1942-728X 14
THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF VOLUNTEER ADMINISTRATION Volume XXVI, Number 1 capacities for organizational and local organizational and community development governance through non-formal, volunteer- issues. led educational programs directed at these A regional board of tourism provided issues (Eyben & Ladbury, 2006; Koehnen & the researchers with a list or cultural and Cristóvão, 2006). musical volunteer-based organizations in the geographical area of the study, Serra de Methodology Marão. The Serra de Marão envelops the This exploratory research used a municipalities of Amarante, Cabeceiras de qualitative methodology involving a case Basto, Marco de Canaveses, Mesão Frio, study design that followed procedures Mondim de Basto, Murça, Santa Marta de recommended by Creswell (1994) and Penaguião and Vila Real. These McNabb (2004). The purpose of the research municipalities represent a mountainous low- was to describe and assess potential density population area with scattered administrative and organizational difficulties communities. From the total list, the authors associated with cultural and musical identified 39 volunteer-based organizations organizations comprised of local volunteers. from which to collect case study data. The The case study questionnaire collected questionnaire was sent by post to the 39 qualitative data that described the organizations. Leaders from 18 of the organizations, explored the organizational organizations responded resulting in a 46% behaviour of these organizations, and response rate. investigated potential administrative strengths and weaknesses as viewed by an Findings organizational leader. The questionnaire was Organizational Features adapted from a Ford Foundation study by The data revealed that 55% (n = 10) Fowler (1988) as a community organization of the responding volunteer-based assessment (Martins, 2006; Santos, 2008). organizations were musical folk groups, 28% The authors also gathered non-participant (n = 5) were cultural and recreational observation and secondary data that associations, and 17% (n = 3) were complemented the case study questionnaire community cultural centres. The (Isaac & Michael, 1981). organizational leader in all folk groups was A particular focus of the case study an actual volunteer, and the responding folk evaluation was to identify felt and unfelt groups included children, young people and non-formal educational needs of the senior citizens in traditional cultural volunteers within these organizations, as well activities. These volunteer-based as additional capacities that could be learned organizations were all non-profit or non- by these musical and cultural volunteers. governmental organizations (NGOs). This research focus reflected a documented Seventy-eight percent of the responding need for strengthening administrative, organizations were founded during 1977 and leadership, social capital through 1987. This historical period for Portugal volunteerism), and empowerment capacities followed a peaceful governmental revolution in these rural areas (Koehnen, 2009; and entry into the European Union. Koehnen & Cristóvão, 2006). Thus, the study Two predominant dimensions also addressed the potential of the volunteer- defined the responding volunteer-based based platform (i.e., the volunteers within organizations: those with fewer than 25 these organizations) for discussing members (53%) and those with between 25 ISSN 1942-728X 15
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and 50 members (27%). This confirms that the average mean score was respectable (4.0) organizations are made up of a collection of for the general assessment of organizational volunteers who come together to accomplish purpose. The leaders assessed a mean of 3.8 activities and in this case related to cultural for the clarity by members to the and musical activities. The survivability of organizational purpose. The leaders also these volunteer-based organizations in a low- assessed that the organizational purpose was, density region appears to be stable despite a in general, uncontested by members (mean = negative population growth (-2.2) and an 3.8); believed that the organizational purpose aging index of 143 senior citizens per 100 was realistic (mean = 4.4) and that the children (a ratio of the population greater membership legitimately chose the than 65 and children zero to 14 years old) for organizational purpose (mean = 4.1). The the area of the study (Instituto Nacional de members supported the purpose for their Estatística, 2006). organization by performing at the cultural events and even indirectly supported tourism. Assessment and Discussion of Similarly, organizational identity was Organizational Purpose, Identity and assessed (again using a five-point numerical Structure scale with 5 being highest) and a different The mission or purpose of the quality measurement for one of the three responding volunteer-based organizations questions (Table 2). The leaders responded was represented by what the organization with a mean of 3.7 that the organization intends to accomplish, and these entities expresses an individual identity in what it signify cultural and musical preservation. does. As to ownership of the organization, it The assessment of purpose was explored is controlled by the members and not by using four questions that had a numerical outsiders (mean average was 4.6). The five-point scale, with five being highest. operational organizational decisions are more Table 1 presents the leaders’ responses or less controlled through a participatory regarding organizational mission/purpose manner by members (3.9). Obviously, the using a different quality measurement for musical groups perform in a participatory each question. The organizational leaders’ manner. responses to the four questions indicated that
Table 1 Leaders’ Perceptions Concerning Mission or Purpose Leaders’ Responses Assessment of Organizational Purpose (5 point scale) Mean s.d. 5 4 3 2 1 1. For the members, the organization’s purpose 33% 50% 6% - 11% 3.8 1.21 was clear to unclear. 2. The purpose of the organization was 29% 36% 29% - 6% 3.8 1.07 uncontested to contested. 3. The purpose was chosen in realistic to 39% 61% - - - 4.4 0.50 unrealistic terms. 4. The purpose was completely to not at all chosen 65% 6% 18% - 11% 4.1 1.41 legitimately by the membership.
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The organizational identity reflected reflected in the tasks to be completed and the organizational ownership, cooperation and management style, while linking the consensus among the volunteers to the performance to organizational purpose purpose of the organization. This is (Kinicki & Kreitner, 2006). The respondents important for creating a positive relationship frequently believed that the organizational among the volunteers instead of incompatible structure was tailored to the organizational relationships with an overwhelming number purpose (mean average of 4.1 in a five-point of disagreements. These volunteers can be a scale). Organizational structure can be platform or social system to identify identified as the horizontal, vertical or mixed potential rural and community impressions administrative style. The administrative and problems. style will also reflect the type of leadership Organizational structure was assessed in the organization. (again using a five-point numerical scale with 5 being highest) with the same quality Discussion and Implications measurement for the four questions (Table These volunteer-based cultural 3). The question of whether leadership was organizations share an organizational identity selected and legitimately controlled by and history. Organizational identity is members had a mean response of 4.4. As to supported and maintained by organizational organizational tasks, the respondents volunteers who represent a platform for assessed that tasks are consistently defined possible non-formal educational by the purpose of the organization (mean = interventions in these rural areas. These 4.6) and that tasks are frequently delegated groups of volunteers can be a part of forums according to member skills (mean = 3.9). to discuss community development activities. The leadership style reflects a more vertical, The volunteers could be motivated through top-down communication process and is also non-formal educational programs to not only associated with maintaining control and improve their organizational capacities, but order and using a more autocratic/less also to initiate group discussion to enhance participatory leadership style (Pina e Cunha, learning about the decision-making process 2000). in community development. The organizational structure was
Table 2 Leaders’ Perceptions Concerning Identity
Leaders’ Responses Assessment of Organizational Purpose (5 point scale) Mean s.d. 5 4 3 2 1 1. The organization very much to not at all 47% 29% 24% - - 3.7 0.83 expresses an individual identity in what it does. 2. The members to outsiders control the 61% 33% 6% - - 4.6 0.62 organization. 3.Operational organizational decisions are very 22% 55% 18% 6% - 3.9 0.80 much to not at all controlled through participatory manner.
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Table 3 Leaders’ Perceptions Concerning Organizational Structure Leaders’ Responses Assessment of Organizational Purpose (5 point scale) Mean s.d. 5 4 3 2 1 1.Leadership is very much to not at all selected and 65% 11% 18% 6% - 4.4 0.98 legitimately controlled by members. 2. Tasks are very much to not at all defined by 72% 22% - 6% - 4.6 0.78 purpose. 3. Tasks are very much to not at all allocated 33% 33% 28% - 6% 3.9 1.08 according to member’s skill. 4. The organization is very much to not at all 44% 28% 28% - - 4.1 0.61 tailored to its purpose.
The volunteers reside in low-density, rural identified sufficient organizational areas that are represented by decision- limitations and concerns to further discuss making that involves only a few members of the inclusion of specific non-formal the population. For this reason, the Social educational programs and modules. Such Development Institute (a national Portuguese non-formal educational programs could organization) identified the need for social strengthen membership capacity in these change at this level (Koehnen, 2009; volunteer-based cultural and musical Koehnen & Cristóvão, 2006). organizations. These volunteer-based organizations The volunteer-based-platform can be are dependent on external financial support a solid foundation for educational which comes primarily from the local interventions to strengthen empowerment government. The respondents revealed that and social capital in these rural areas. The there was a very high (43%) or high (19%) established volunteer-based platform can be level of dependence for outside funds (62% the gateway for additional educational of the respondents). These funds are interventions for youth development, associated to capital and recurrent organizational administration, and expenditures and not on volunteer labor. The community development in order to increase dependence upon outside funds establishes a members’ empowerment, social capital, and need or consideration for non-formal other community development capacities. educational programs that could strengthen The interventions could be directed at these volunteer members’ capacities to identify volunteer-based-platforms, while inviting additional sources of funds and other means other citizens of these communities to of financial support and procurement. participate in the learning process and The voluntary-based organizations’ discussion. successes in the recognition of cultural heritage were expressed in the relatively Volunteer-Based-Platform: Can it positive assessment of the various Complement Additional Interventions? organizational behavioural components such Numerous authors (Koehnen & as identity and purpose. The assessment also Baptista, 2007; Koehnen & Cristóvão, 2006; indicated some constraints in organizational Koehnen, Baptista & Portela, 2004) have structure and other aspects. The findings recognized the importance of non-formal ISSN 1942-728X 18
THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF VOLUNTEER ADMINISTRATION Volume XXVI, Number 1 educational programs for rural populations in formal educational planning process can Portugal. Continuing education for these consider other modules that could discuss populations needs to be addressed to both different leadership styles (e.g., autocratic, improve the quality of life and the democratic, participative, distributed, etc.) in livelihoods of the rural population. organizations, group problem–solving and Volunteer-based cultural organizations can decision-making processes, and even funding be a targeted non-formal educational group procurement. for improving community and local Non-formal educational programs can development capacities and reducing also be addressed for the improvement of the exclusion. The non-formal educational decision-making process and governance in objectives can complement other community community development. The volunteer- educational felt and unfelt needs of based-platform can be used to launch non- volunteers. Non-formal educational formal educational programs to address programs could be considered an educational social action programs that are implemented intervention to permit reflection upon and by the local population. The educational discussion of an alternate organizational module can explain and discuss social structure that involves more members of the change and the social action process along organization (i.e., volunteers) in the decision- with the steps to implement within the making process. community. These volunteer-based A non-formal educational program organizations could serve as the catalyst for consisting of a series of modules about the the local development process to be more strengths and weaknesses of the horizontal participatory, increasing political organizational structure could be developed. empowerment. One specific module could deal with Beal and Hobbs (1964) outlined the increasing organizational participation by following steps in the social action process discussing all aspects in the implementation that should not be considered linear, but and use of a volunteer advisory council. rather open to back-stepping and grouping of Boyle (1981) identified the purposes of the steps: 1) analysis of the existing social advisory councils in local organizations as: systems; 2) convergence of interest; 3) 1) collecting and analyzing data associated to analysis of the prior social situation; 4) community and organizational concerns; 2) delineation of relvant social systems; 5) identifying both community and initiating steps; 6) legitimization; 7) organizational problems, needs and diffusion; 8) definition of need by more resources; 3) collective decision-making general relevant groups and organizations; 9) about development activities for the decision to action by relevant social systems; community, and 4) informing the local 10) formulation of objectives; 11) decision population about the problems that need to on means to be used; 12) plan of work; 13) be resolved. The volunteer advisory council mobilizing resources; 14) action steps; and is a tool to assist members and non-members 15) evaluation. This community in increasing their capacities to participate in development mechanism can be a learning the management of volunteer-based process for mobilizing the local population, organizations as well as increasing social and increasing community problem-solving capital and civic performance in their capacities, volunteerism, governance and communities. In order to make additional empowerment (Luttrell, Quiroz, Scrutton, improvement in the administration of Bird, 2007; Koehnen & Cristóvão, 2006). volunteer-based organizations, the non- This process is also particularily important in ISSN 1942-728X 19
THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF VOLUNTEER ADMINISTRATION Volume XXVI, Number 1 increasing the outreach for volunteer-based this respect, the membership from these organizations. The social action process volunteer-based organizations and the local would assist such organizations in improving population need to become more active in the inter-organizational communication with decision-making process. other institutions. According to Luttrell, A community-based process of Quiroz, Scrutton, and Bird (2007, p. 5), empowerment and decision-making reflects a “relational empowerment moves beyond the dynamic community with the increased concept of individual or collective participation by volunteers from volunteer- empowerment to include a consideration of based organizations and other entities. the importance of individuals (or groups) Citizens who have equal social capital and developing the ability to negotiate and know-how for decision making can challenge influence the nature of the relationships with and assist local governmental leaders in these other institutions.” These empowerment communities. The democratic governmental relationships link to the importance of and civic process can be expanded through forming partnerships for community on-going non-formal educational programs development (Koehnen, Baptista, & Portela, in these rural and scattered communities. 2004). References Conclusion Beal, G., & Hobbs, D. (1964). The process of The relevance of non-formal social action in community and area educational programs is related to a development. Ames, IA: Iowa State philosophy of continuous education and University/CES. community-driven development in rural areas. Community-driven development can Boyle, P. (1981). Planning better programs. be attained when a majority of the New York: McGraw-Hill Book community members have increased their Company. social capital and participate in the decision- making process. In low-density rural regions Creswell, J.W. (1994). Research design: in Portugal, governmental leaders tend to Qualitative & quantitative dominate the decision-making process as approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: well as other developmental dimensions SAGE Publications. (Koehnen, 2009; Koehnen & Cristóvão, 2006). Eyben, R., & Ladbury, S. (2006). Building Volunteer-based organizations can effective states: Taking a citizen´s serve as a community-learning forum for perspective. Retrieved November 19, increasing empowerment and social capital 2008, from www.drc-citizenship.org in these scattered rural communities. The developmental role of non-formal Fowler, A. (1988). Guidelines and field educational programs in rural communities in checklist for assessments of Portugal needs to be engaged by appropriate community organizations. Nairobi, governmental policies and frameworks. Kenya: The Ford Foundation. These scattered communities require continuous educational programs in order to Instituto Nacional de Estatística [INE; move them from communities that are National Institute for Statistics]. inactive in their community development (2006). Anuários estatísticos process to more vitalized communities. In regionais [Annual regional ISSN 1942-728X 20
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Isaac, S., & Michael, W. (1981). Handbook Koehnen, T., & Cristóvão, A. (2006). in research and evaluation: A Constructing a social development collection of priniciples, methods, network within a rural municipal and strategies useful in the planning, government in Portugal. Agricultural design, and evaluation of studies in Economics Review, 7(1), 26-34. education and the behavioral sciences (Second edtion). San Diego, Koehnen, T., Baptista, A., & Portela, J. CA: EdITS Publishers. (2004). Non-formal educational activities for rural women: A case Kayser, B. (1994). A cultura uma alavanca study evaluation in Portugal. Journal para o desenvolvimento local. of Extension Systems, 20(2), 72-88. (Culture,a lever for local development) LEADER Magazine, Luttrell, C., Quiroz, S., Scrutton, C., & Bird, Inverno, nº 8, 5-9. K. (2007). Understanding and operationalising empowerment. Kinicki, A., & Kreitner, R. (2006). Retrieved November 21, 2008, from Comportamento organizacionl www.poverrty-wellbieng.net [Organizational behaviour]. (Second edition) (Maria L..L. Rosa, Trans.) McNabb, D.E. (2004). Research methods for São Paulo, Brazil: McGraw Hill. political science: Quantitative and qualitative methods. Armonk, NY: Koehnen, T. (2009). Os processos de MN.E. Sharpe. implementação dos CLAS e dos CISF: Experiências e perspectivas Martins, E. (2006). Comportamento [The implementation process for the organizacional das associações de CLAS and CISF: Experiences and desenvolvimento local de perspectives]. In A. Monteiro and F. Portugal[Organizational behaviour Ribeiro Bessa (Eds.), Redes sociais within local development associations experiencias, políticas e perspectivias in Portugal]. Monografia de [Social networks experiences, Investigação não publicada, Vila policies and perspectives] (pp. 26- Real, Portugal: Department of 32). Porto, Portugal: Campo das Economics, Sociology and Letras. Management (DESG)- Centre for Transdisciplinary Development Koehnen, T., & Baptista, A. (2007). Rural Studies (CETRAD) - University of training to promote rural activities: Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro Can individualized supervised (UTAD). experience strengthen local economic
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Santos, T. (2008). Comportamento Monografia de Investigação não organizacional das associações publicada. Vila Real, Portugal: culturais, recreativas e desportivas Department of Economics, Sociology da Região de Turismo da Serra do and Management (DESG)- Centre for Marão[Organizational behaviour Transdisciplinary Development within the cultural, recreational and Studies (CETRAD) - University of athletic associations in the Regional Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro Tourism from the Serra do Marão]. (UTAD).
About the Authors Timothy L. Koehnen is an Associate Professor within the Department of Economics, Sociology and Management at the University of Tras-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD) in northern Portugal. He is responsible for research, outreach, and teaching numerous courses, but the course entitled, “Management and Local Development” reflects his professional research interests.
Tiago Santos recently completed an undergraduate degree in management at UTAD where he participated in the research project under the supervision of the co-author. Tiago is also a member of a musical group.
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