Sport Event Volunteer Role Perceptions at the 2012 Ontario Summer Games

The study tested a theoretical model of role perceptions of major sport event volunteers, and specifically correlates of role ambiguity. The sample consisted of 328 volunteers involved with the 2012 Ontario Summer Games. Participants completed an on-line questionnaire post-Games that included measures of role ambiguity, effort, performance, role satisfaction, role difficulty, training, supervision, overall satisfaction with the Games and future volunteer intentions. Findings provide support for a multidimensional model of role ambiguity, consisting of performance outcomes ambiguity and means-ends/scope ambiguity in this context. A final model indicated that supervision was critical to both dimensions of ambiguity, although they differentially predicted role performance and role satisfaction. Role satisfaction predicted overall satisfaction with the Games experience which significantly contributed to future intentions to volunteer. Implications for sport event volunteer management and suggestions for future research are discussed