Wymer, Walter

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https://opus.uleth.ca/handle/10133/4542

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    Online social network fundraising: threats and potentialities
    (Wiley, 2023) Wymer, Walter; Najev Cacija, Ljiljana
    There has been a growth in online fundraising from crowdfunding apps, like GoFundMe, that propagate fundraising appeals on social networking sites. In the online space, these crowdfunding apps pose a potential threat to the traditional intermediation role of charities. The disintermediation threat is that donors choose crowdfunding intermediaries instead of charities to channel their giving. In this article, we discuss what makes crowdsourced fundraising effective and how charities can adapt to this new dynamic for more effective online fundraising emphasizing two key success factors: brand strength/reputation and managing the donor experience. In addition, we explain the advantages and disadvantages of social media fundraising and giving and propose ways charities can leverage their good reputations and public trust to stimulate reintermediation. Finally, we propose a landscape for future research based on model that emphases the fundraising campaign's ability to stimulate viral sharing within and between online social networks.
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    Volunteer retention research report: nonprofit professionals' version
    (2024) Wymer, Walter; Najev Cacija, Ljiljana
    We developed this study to add to the stream of scholarly research literature on volunteer retention. We asked many Canadian nonprofit organizations to participate in this study. We tried to include a variety of different types of nonprofit organizations, from across the country, to have an inclusive and representative sample. While we were primarily interested in influences on volunteer retention, we understood that committed volunteers also support their organizations in addition to volunteering. Therefore, in additional to investigating influences on volunteer retention, we also examined how these factors might influence other types of support intentions like donations, bequests, positive word-of-mouth referrals, an helping the organization recruit additional volunteers. We developed and tested two models. One model examined organizational influences on volunteer behavioral intentions. The second model examined experiential influences, meaning factors pertaining to the volunteering experience. With respect to organizational influences on volunteer retention and other support intentions, we found that brand strength had an important and broad effect on our outcome variables. Organizational transparency was also influential with respect to donation and bequest intentions. Other influences are presented later in this report. With respect to experiential influences on volunteer retention and other support intentions, we found that feeling valued was particularly important. Feeling valued not only had a direct effect on our outcome variables but also exerted an indirect effect through its influence on volunteer satisfaction. Perceived usefulness had a positive influence on feeling valued. We also found that social connectedness and value congruence were positive influencers. In this report, we present our methods and procedures. We present our variable definitions and how they were measured in our questionnaire. We present our significant findings and discuss managerial implications of our findings.
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    Charity advertising: a literature of review and research agenda
    (Wiley, 2021) Wymer, Walter; Gross, Hellen
    The authors present an overview of the academic literature on charity advertising. Through systematically reviewing 63 empirical studies on charity advertising, a synthesis of the body of work is framed in a general model. Predominant antecedents in the charity advertising literature include various appeal tactics and victim portrayals. Research streams on moderators and mediators include various ad characteristics and audience characteristics. The audience’s intentions to donate was the most used outcome variable. Recommendations for continuing theoretical advancement in the field are presented. Managerial implications are also presented. This literature review contributes a knowledge base to guide future charity advertising research.
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    The antecedents of charity trust and its influence on charity supportive behavior
    (Wiley, 2020) Wymer, Walter; Becker, Annika; Boenigk, Silke
    This study develops and tests a model that evaluates eight antecedents of charity trust and its influence on volunteering and donating. Secondary data from a national Australian survey (N = 1,377) was collected and data was analyzed using partial least square path analysis. Key findings include identifying individual and organizational antecedents of charity trust and its influence on charity supportive behavior. Results show that organizational transparency is a very strong antecedent, followed by the individual awareness level of an individual towards the organization. We also examined the effect of gender as a moderating influence but did not find a significant effect. We conclude with managerial implications and areas for future research
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    The influence of university brand image, satisfaction, and university identification on alumni WOM intentions
    (Springer, 2021) Schlesinger, Walesska; Cervera-Taulet, Amparo
    This study investigates the influence of university brand image, satisfaction, and alumni’s university identification on positive word-of-mouth (WOM) intentions. The model is tested using data collected from a sample of 1000 university alumni, an important and under-researched stakeholder group. A contribution is provided by enhancing our understanding of key under-researched relationships. University brand image was found to be a key driver of alumni positive WOM intentions, due to its direct and indirect influences. The study also identified the mediating roles of alumni’s university identification and satisfaction. The influence of university brand image on alumi WOM is partially accounted for through its influence on alumni satisfaction and alumni’s university identification.