Ram Cnaan, MSW, PhD

Professor
Associate Dean for Research
Chair, Doctoral Program in Social Welfare

Bio | Research | Link to Scholarly Papers | Curriculum Vitae (pdf)

Research

Volunteering In Human Services

Description: A study of 510 consistent volunteers in Human Services Organizations (HSOs) and a comparison group of 504 individuals. The study measured: personal background variables, volunteer experience, motivation to volunteer (MTV), management of volunteers, and host of psychological and attitude scales. The aim of the study is to shed light on those who consistently (at least one hour every other week for six months or longer) assist HSOs in the provision of social services.

Project Sponsors: Indiana University Center on Philanthropy

Dates: 1989-1996

Project Staff:
Ram A. Cnaan (cnaan@sp2.upenn.edu)
Robin Goldberg-Glen, Widener University

Research Sites:
Philadelphia, North Carolina, and Rhode Island

Project Related Publications:
Cnaan, R. A., & Cascio, T. Performance and Commitment: Issues in management of volunteers in human service organizations. Journal of Social Service research., forthcoming.

Cnaan, R. A., Handy, F., & Wadsworth, M. Defining who is a volunteer: Conceptual and empirical considerations, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 1996, 25 (3), 364-383.

Cnaan, R. A., & Amrofell, L. M. Mapping volunteer activity. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 1995, 23 (4), 335-351.

Cnaan, R. A., & Perlmutter, F. D. Challenging human service organizations to redefine volunteer roles. Administration in Social Work, 1993, 17 (4), 77-95.

Cnaan, R. A., Kasternakis, A., & Wineburg, R. J. Religious people, religious congregations, and volunteerism in human services: Is there a link? Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 1993, 22 (1), 33-51.

Cnaan, R. A., & Goldberg-Glen, R. S. Measuring motivation to volunteer in human services. Journal of Applied Behavioral Sciences, 1991, 27 (3), 269-284.

Goldberg-Glen, R. S., & Cnaan, R. A. Volunteers across the life cycle: Testing continuity, activity and disengagement theories (under review).

Cnaan, R. A. Teaching literature to highlight social policy issues. Journal of Social Work Education, 1989, 25 (3), 181-191.

Project Number: CNAA-98-05