{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/36908"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/36908","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Motivations and Characteristics of Active and Nonactive Members Belonging to Natural Resource Nongovernmental Organizations","abstract":"I surveyed members of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) and the Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC) to assess the motivations of active and nonactive memebrs in these nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). I investigated the effects of social networks, competing commitments, requests for participation and the belief of the efficacy of their actions on decisions to become and remain active members. I found that requests are important tools for recruiting new members but not the determining factor in the decision to participate. Rather, in both NGOs, active members indicated that the efficacy of their actions was most important in their decisions, while nonactive members cited the importance of competing commitments. I also investigated what leads to burn out and attrition of active members. Burn out and attrition in active members often resulted from a lack of personal satisfaction and growth from contributions. Active members who had experienced burn out donated more hours, had been members and active longer, and in the RMEF needed more recognition than those members who had not experienced burn out. Volunteers who discontinued participation also cited age, health, and personal reasons, Recruitment and retention of volunteers may be aided by increasing the awareness of volunteer programs, ensuring the programs provide results that individuals are proud of, requesting the participation of individuals on both local and higher organizational levels, and recognizing volunteers for their contributions.","abstract_html":"I surveyed members of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) and the Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC) to assess the motivations of active and nonactive memebrs in these nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). I investigated the effects of social networks, competing commitments, requests for participation and the belief of the efficacy of their actions on decisions to become and remain active members. I found that requests are important tools for recruiting new members but not the determining factor in the decision to participate. Rather, in both NGOs, active members indicated that the efficacy of their actions was most important in their decisions, while nonactive members cited the importance of competing commitments. I also investigated what leads to burn out and attrition of active members. Burn out and attrition in active members often resulted from a lack of personal satisfaction and growth from contributions. Active members who had experienced burn out donated more hours, had been members and active longer, and in the RMEF needed more recognition than those members who had not experienced burn out. Volunteers who discontinued participation also cited age, health, and personal reasons, Recruitment and retention of volunteers may be aided by increasing the awareness of volunteer programs, ensuring the programs provide results that individuals are proud of, requesting the participation of individuals on both local and higher organizational levels, and recognizing volunteers for their contributions.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Martinez, Teresa Ana"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences","degree_department":"Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["McMullin, Steve L."],"committee_members":["Parkhurst, James A.","Hull, Robert Bruce IV"],"year":1998,"date_issued":"1998-05-14","date_published":"1998-05-14","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:06Z","subjects":["Nongovernmental Organizations","Retention","Recruitment","Volunteerism","Burn Out","Survey"],"languages":[],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-71798-145547"],"render_values":[{"text":"etd-71798-145547","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/36908","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["McMullin, Steve L."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Parkhurst, James A.","Hull, Robert Bruce IV"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Martinez, Teresa Ana"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2014-03-14T20:52:10Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-03-14T20:52:10Z","1999-08-18"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["1998-05-14"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Nongovernmental Organizations","Retention","Recruitment","Volunteerism","Burn Out","Survey"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-71798-145547"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/36908"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["I surveyed members of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) and the Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC) to assess the motivations of active and nonactive memebrs in these nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). I investigated the effects of social networks, competing commitments, requests for participation and the belief of the efficacy of their actions on decisions to become and remain active members. I found that requests are important tools for recruiting new members but not the determining factor in the decision to participate. Rather, in both NGOs, active members indicated that the efficacy of their actions was most important in their decisions, while nonactive members cited the importance of competing commitments. I also investigated what leads to burn out and attrition of active members. Burn out and attrition in active members often resulted from a lack of personal satisfaction and growth from contributions. Active members who had experienced burn out donated more hours, had been members and active longer, and in the RMEF needed more recognition than those members who had not experienced burn out. Volunteers who discontinued participation also cited age, health, and personal reasons, Recruitment and retention of volunteers may be aided by increasing the awareness of volunteer programs, ensuring the programs provide results that individuals are proud of, requesting the participation of individuals on both local and higher organizational levels, and recognizing volunteers for their contributions."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Motivations and Characteristics of Active and Nonactive Members Belonging to Natural Resource Nongovernmental Organizations"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["McMullin, Steve L."],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Parkhurst, James A.","Hull, Robert Bruce IV"],"dc:contributor.department":["Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences"],"dc:creator":["Martinez, Teresa Ana"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2014-03-14T20:52:10Z"],"dc:date.available":["2014-03-14T20:52:10Z","1999-08-18"],"dc:date.issued":["1998-05-14"],"dc:description.abstract":["I surveyed members of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) and the Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC) to assess the motivations of active and nonactive memebrs in these nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). I investigated the effects of social networks, competing commitments, requests for participation and the belief of the efficacy of their actions on decisions to become and remain active members. I found that requests are important tools for recruiting new members but not the determining factor in the decision to participate. Rather, in both NGOs, active members indicated that the efficacy of their actions was most important in their decisions, while nonactive members cited the importance of competing commitments. I also investigated what leads to burn out and attrition of active members. Burn out and attrition in active members often resulted from a lack of personal satisfaction and growth from contributions. Active members who had experienced burn out donated more hours, had been members and active longer, and in the RMEF needed more recognition than those members who had not experienced burn out. Volunteers who discontinued participation also cited age, health, and personal reasons, Recruitment and retention of volunteers may be aided by increasing the awareness of volunteer programs, ensuring the programs provide results that individuals are proud of, requesting the participation of individuals on both local and higher organizational levels, and recognizing volunteers for their contributions."],"dc:description.degree":["Master of Science"],"dc:identifier.other":["etd-71798-145547"],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/36908"],"dc:publisher":["Virginia Tech"],"dc:rights":["In Copyright"],"dc:rights.uri":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dc:subject":["Nongovernmental Organizations","Retention","Recruitment","Volunteerism","Burn Out","Survey"],"dc:title":["Motivations and Characteristics of Active and Nonactive Members Belonging to Natural Resource Nongovernmental Organizations"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences"],"thesis:degree_level":["masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science"],"thesis:institution_name":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:06Z"}