Available online at www.pelagiaresearchlibrary.com
Pelagia Research Library
European Journal of Experimental Biology, 2012, 2 (5):1539-1544
ISSN: 2248 –9215
CODEN (USA): EJEBAU
Analysis of Sport Volunteers’ Attitude in International Sport Events in Iran
1
Mina Mostahfezian, 2Rasool Nazari and 1Leila Sarrami
1
Department of Physical Education and sport science, Najaf abad Branch, Islamic Azad
University, Esfahan, Iran
2
Department of Physical Education and sport science, Naeein Branch, Islamic Azad University,
Esfahan, Iran
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to analyse volunteers’ attitude in international sport events. Statistical sample of this
research included 300 members of a volunteer group in Esfahan. To collect the data of the study, a questionnaire
with reliability of α=0/93 was constructed by the researcher. The data of the study was analysed using both
descriptive and inferential statistics and the statistical tests including t test and ANOVA were used. The results
showed that there is a significant difference between profit- oriented attitude, emotional and normative attitudes
among the youth taking part in sport. There is also a significant relationship between attitudinal factors and
personal characteristics of the participants and also between normative attitude and academic major. Students of
humanistic sciences with regard to normative attitude are more willing to volunteer in sport events. According to the
findings of the study, careful analysis and recognition of people’s attitude toward volunteering facilitates the
process of attracting and maintaining them in future.
Keywords: Volunteer, Attitude, Sport Events
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
INTRODUCTION
Successful event management necessitates the effective management of personnel. This is achieved through the
implementation of appropriate human resource strategies [11,6]. Event managers and sport marketers should focus
on providing a gratifying experience for attendees because this positive encounter will generally lead to corporate-
sponsor support by participants through purchasing habits and revisiting the event. [25] The degree of intra team
communication has been linked to team development, decision making, goal setting, cooperation, leadership, and
conflict resolution. The quality of communication in a team setting has been shown to be central to the concept of
group cohesion and participant satisfaction. The universe is shape through human’s point of view. It is human’s
attitude, which gives facts their true color. The only difference between success and failure is attitude. Such an
important category that determines our success or failure in life undoubtedly requires management. As a manager or
leader of an organization, we cannot wish success unless we pay attention to staff’s attitudes and thoughts whether
you are the leader of a family, and leader of a sport team, a coach, or a supervisor of volunteer. People’s attitude
affects their relationship, changes their attitude towards failure and unhappiness, and shows them the way of
prosperity and happiness. Human attitude can cause his promotion or progression [16].
Today, volunteers as one of the main three groups of human resources (staff, volunteers and client or customer)
could find a special place for themselves in the structure of private and governmental organization especially in
sport organizations(Chelladurai,2005). Sport development through volunteer’s activities is one of the Iran’s features
1539
Pelagia Research Library
, Mina Mostahfezian et al Euro. J. Exp. Bio., 2012, 2 (5):1539-1544
______________________________________________________________________________
in the past and today as an effective reality it has created appropriate opportunities for men and women to participate
in sport[19].
The important sport events are in progress all over the world annually. What attracts public’s attention besides all
attractions of an event is the volunteer’s presence with no expectations that play an important role in success of sport
competitions (Daly, 1991; Williams, 1950). Since no match is independent from its environment, the environment is
considering as a part of competition management system. The effects of environment on events and the similar
effects of events on different aspects of society (economy, culture, politics, and society) and public environment are
noticeable [3].
In most competitions and sport events, voluntary activities are necessary. We can define volunteers as those who
demand very low rewards in terms of salary. However, most of volunteers of sport organization require receiving
inner rewards [18]. Volunteering is a mutual process between the individuals and the organisms such that both of
them get profits [10]. Ironmonger [13] claims that volunteering is to promote social values and economy level.
Oesterle, Kirkpatrick & Mortimer [20] see volunteering as one of the greatest events to develop society and
civilization, because it develops responsibility and respectability of urban principles in society. Also volunteering
can facilitate maturity process of the teenagers. As Marta & Posse [15] concluded that in volunteering, we face with
different social positions and different people leading to rich experiences in the context that might be useful in their
future. On the other hand volunteering gives them a sense of commitment and societal belonging.
Different groups of people of western societies play a role in this movement that besides social profits it brings
economic profits to their societies. Based on this statistics presented in 2006 by Cukelly and et al, more than 1
million of Australians and 26% of volunteers population, 5.4 millions of England’s population(11% ) and 5.26% of
volunteer’s population are in Canada more than 1 million of population are 18% of volunteer population of these
countries that render voluntary services in sport organizations.
Harvery, levesque & Donnelly[12] did study about examines the relationship between social capital, as a resource
generated from social networks, and sport volunteerism. The authors employed a survey in two Canadian
communities to explore the relationship between sport volunteerism and social capital. Measures of respondents’
social capital were based on what the authors call a position generator (which measures individuals’ access to people
with different social statuses) and a resources generator (which measures the resources respondents have access to
through social networks). The results indicate a strong relationship between volunteerism in sport and social capital.
Controlling for gender, age, and language resulted in a strong relationship between sport volunteerism and social
capital. The direction of the relationship, however, was not evident.
According to NSGVP1 statistics in 2000, about 1.17 millions of Canada’s population was volunteers in sport
(Doherty, 2005). To point to the importance of volunteering, the greatest sport event- Olympic Games, which are
successfully performing due to the contributions of voluntary companies, and organizations can be mentioning. The
main part of Olympic Games and their successful holding is due to the role of volunteers’ extraordinary energy and
effort. Based on Atlanta Olympics statistic, there were 60500 volunteers and 7000 volunteers in Sidney. The number
of volunteers in Athens Olympic in comparison to the last Olympics was higher and about 65000 volunteers took
part in it [21].The Beijing 2008 Olympics’ volunteers were 500000 that were dividing into three main groups: urban
volunteers play time volunteers, and social volunteers. Gung Jo the director of voluntary section of Gung Jo Asian
games committee said: there are 900000 people as volunteers help the holding of Asian games. Sport
administrations of universities are one of the organizations to use volunteers in the sport parts of countries, for
example, 36000 students of Beijing were involved in organizing sport events and more than 30000 Korean students
organized Digo universal sport events. They believed that not only it helps them to develop but also this voluntary
presence organized Digo University. In addition, it is a way to promote the sport of their countries because taking
part in such programs cause the increasing of self-confidence and social interaction skills [10]. In Iran, the
volunteers play their roles in two different ways, professional roles (it requires training and sport knowledge), and
non-professional roles [1].
Attitudes are a brief and short summary of attitudinal topics whose domains are much unlimited and their continuum
is from objects, people to deeds, events, and beliefs. How attitudes are forming and how the change is considering as
most favored areas of interest. Attitudes both theoretically and practically attract the attractions of most scientists in
modern societies as they are in close relation with behaviors. Those psychologists are studying attitude in sport are
interested in studying the effects of attitudes on behavior and the possibility of changing it. Experts in sport and
physical education pay a special attention to this topic, too. Because they want to create a positive attitude in people
1
. National Survey of Volunteering and Participation
1540
Pelagia Research Library
Pelagia Research Library
European Journal of Experimental Biology, 2012, 2 (5):1539-1544
ISSN: 2248 –9215
CODEN (USA): EJEBAU
Analysis of Sport Volunteers’ Attitude in International Sport Events in Iran
1
Mina Mostahfezian, 2Rasool Nazari and 1Leila Sarrami
1
Department of Physical Education and sport science, Najaf abad Branch, Islamic Azad
University, Esfahan, Iran
2
Department of Physical Education and sport science, Naeein Branch, Islamic Azad University,
Esfahan, Iran
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to analyse volunteers’ attitude in international sport events. Statistical sample of this
research included 300 members of a volunteer group in Esfahan. To collect the data of the study, a questionnaire
with reliability of α=0/93 was constructed by the researcher. The data of the study was analysed using both
descriptive and inferential statistics and the statistical tests including t test and ANOVA were used. The results
showed that there is a significant difference between profit- oriented attitude, emotional and normative attitudes
among the youth taking part in sport. There is also a significant relationship between attitudinal factors and
personal characteristics of the participants and also between normative attitude and academic major. Students of
humanistic sciences with regard to normative attitude are more willing to volunteer in sport events. According to the
findings of the study, careful analysis and recognition of people’s attitude toward volunteering facilitates the
process of attracting and maintaining them in future.
Keywords: Volunteer, Attitude, Sport Events
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
INTRODUCTION
Successful event management necessitates the effective management of personnel. This is achieved through the
implementation of appropriate human resource strategies [11,6]. Event managers and sport marketers should focus
on providing a gratifying experience for attendees because this positive encounter will generally lead to corporate-
sponsor support by participants through purchasing habits and revisiting the event. [25] The degree of intra team
communication has been linked to team development, decision making, goal setting, cooperation, leadership, and
conflict resolution. The quality of communication in a team setting has been shown to be central to the concept of
group cohesion and participant satisfaction. The universe is shape through human’s point of view. It is human’s
attitude, which gives facts their true color. The only difference between success and failure is attitude. Such an
important category that determines our success or failure in life undoubtedly requires management. As a manager or
leader of an organization, we cannot wish success unless we pay attention to staff’s attitudes and thoughts whether
you are the leader of a family, and leader of a sport team, a coach, or a supervisor of volunteer. People’s attitude
affects their relationship, changes their attitude towards failure and unhappiness, and shows them the way of
prosperity and happiness. Human attitude can cause his promotion or progression [16].
Today, volunteers as one of the main three groups of human resources (staff, volunteers and client or customer)
could find a special place for themselves in the structure of private and governmental organization especially in
sport organizations(Chelladurai,2005). Sport development through volunteer’s activities is one of the Iran’s features
1539
Pelagia Research Library
, Mina Mostahfezian et al Euro. J. Exp. Bio., 2012, 2 (5):1539-1544
______________________________________________________________________________
in the past and today as an effective reality it has created appropriate opportunities for men and women to participate
in sport[19].
The important sport events are in progress all over the world annually. What attracts public’s attention besides all
attractions of an event is the volunteer’s presence with no expectations that play an important role in success of sport
competitions (Daly, 1991; Williams, 1950). Since no match is independent from its environment, the environment is
considering as a part of competition management system. The effects of environment on events and the similar
effects of events on different aspects of society (economy, culture, politics, and society) and public environment are
noticeable [3].
In most competitions and sport events, voluntary activities are necessary. We can define volunteers as those who
demand very low rewards in terms of salary. However, most of volunteers of sport organization require receiving
inner rewards [18]. Volunteering is a mutual process between the individuals and the organisms such that both of
them get profits [10]. Ironmonger [13] claims that volunteering is to promote social values and economy level.
Oesterle, Kirkpatrick & Mortimer [20] see volunteering as one of the greatest events to develop society and
civilization, because it develops responsibility and respectability of urban principles in society. Also volunteering
can facilitate maturity process of the teenagers. As Marta & Posse [15] concluded that in volunteering, we face with
different social positions and different people leading to rich experiences in the context that might be useful in their
future. On the other hand volunteering gives them a sense of commitment and societal belonging.
Different groups of people of western societies play a role in this movement that besides social profits it brings
economic profits to their societies. Based on this statistics presented in 2006 by Cukelly and et al, more than 1
million of Australians and 26% of volunteers population, 5.4 millions of England’s population(11% ) and 5.26% of
volunteer’s population are in Canada more than 1 million of population are 18% of volunteer population of these
countries that render voluntary services in sport organizations.
Harvery, levesque & Donnelly[12] did study about examines the relationship between social capital, as a resource
generated from social networks, and sport volunteerism. The authors employed a survey in two Canadian
communities to explore the relationship between sport volunteerism and social capital. Measures of respondents’
social capital were based on what the authors call a position generator (which measures individuals’ access to people
with different social statuses) and a resources generator (which measures the resources respondents have access to
through social networks). The results indicate a strong relationship between volunteerism in sport and social capital.
Controlling for gender, age, and language resulted in a strong relationship between sport volunteerism and social
capital. The direction of the relationship, however, was not evident.
According to NSGVP1 statistics in 2000, about 1.17 millions of Canada’s population was volunteers in sport
(Doherty, 2005). To point to the importance of volunteering, the greatest sport event- Olympic Games, which are
successfully performing due to the contributions of voluntary companies, and organizations can be mentioning. The
main part of Olympic Games and their successful holding is due to the role of volunteers’ extraordinary energy and
effort. Based on Atlanta Olympics statistic, there were 60500 volunteers and 7000 volunteers in Sidney. The number
of volunteers in Athens Olympic in comparison to the last Olympics was higher and about 65000 volunteers took
part in it [21].The Beijing 2008 Olympics’ volunteers were 500000 that were dividing into three main groups: urban
volunteers play time volunteers, and social volunteers. Gung Jo the director of voluntary section of Gung Jo Asian
games committee said: there are 900000 people as volunteers help the holding of Asian games. Sport
administrations of universities are one of the organizations to use volunteers in the sport parts of countries, for
example, 36000 students of Beijing were involved in organizing sport events and more than 30000 Korean students
organized Digo universal sport events. They believed that not only it helps them to develop but also this voluntary
presence organized Digo University. In addition, it is a way to promote the sport of their countries because taking
part in such programs cause the increasing of self-confidence and social interaction skills [10]. In Iran, the
volunteers play their roles in two different ways, professional roles (it requires training and sport knowledge), and
non-professional roles [1].
Attitudes are a brief and short summary of attitudinal topics whose domains are much unlimited and their continuum
is from objects, people to deeds, events, and beliefs. How attitudes are forming and how the change is considering as
most favored areas of interest. Attitudes both theoretically and practically attract the attractions of most scientists in
modern societies as they are in close relation with behaviors. Those psychologists are studying attitude in sport are
interested in studying the effects of attitudes on behavior and the possibility of changing it. Experts in sport and
physical education pay a special attention to this topic, too. Because they want to create a positive attitude in people
1
. National Survey of Volunteering and Participation
1540
Pelagia Research Library
