Volunteering 2.0: How Can Volunteer Organizations Employ Online Social Networks?

The effectiveness of online social networks such as Facebook and Twitter for managing an organization is an area ripe for investigation in information systems research. Volunteer organizations in particular (who typically lag rather than lead in technology) stand to benefit from online social networks, if equipped with the knowledge to strategically implement these tools. This research context is especially unique because volunteers and employees approach work differently, which affects how they interact with the organization and its systems. We use the theory of functionalist motivations to support the use of online social networks to manage volunteers. Because this research area is relatively new, this study provides a theoreticallygrounded exploration into how volunteer organizations are using online social networks to manage their volunteer workforce, in what ways they are using these systems, and their effectiveness compared to previous systems.