Perceived organizational support on episodic volunteers' affective and behavioral outcomes: a case of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games

Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of perceived organizational support (POS) on the relationships between volunteer job satisfaction, attitude toward volunteering and continuance intention. Also, this study investigated the moderating role of volunteer age in the relationships between study variables. Design/methodology/approach Participants were recruited from volunteers in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and/or the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games (N = 4,824). Data were primarily analyzed using the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and multigroup analysis (PLS-MGA). Findings Results of the PLS-SEM indicated that, firstly, POS had a positive and significant effect on continuance intention, attitude and job satisfaction. Moreover, the influence of job satisfaction on attitude was statistically significant. Paths from attitude and job satisfaction to continuance intention were statistically and positively significant. As a next step, PLS-MGA was conducted using basic bootstrapping to test the age difference in the research model. Significant differences were found in the paths from POS to attitude and from satisfaction to continuance intention. More specifically, the influence of POS on attitude was significantly stronger for the younger group. On the other hand, the impact of satisfaction on continuance intention was significantly stronger for the older group. Originality/value The large sample size of this study offered more persuasive empirical evidence on the role of POS in volunteers' perception and behavior. The findings suggest the importance of the event organizer's support for volunteer outcomes and clear communication with volunteers on their needs and wants.