Rapid leadership changes in volunteer-organizations

The present research investigates the ways in which student associations, as examples of volunteer run organizations, cope with fast leadership changes. The current literature on volunteer management has increasingly been focusing on volunteer retention, however in certain situations, such as in student associations, volunteer have to leave the organization. The findings of this research allow to shed more light on the inefficiencies that arise after a fast leadership change in a student association as well as the ways in which student associations effectively cope with such inefficiencies.
 
Angelica, please explain your paper in three sentences
‘Student associations tend to have quite fast members turnover, which lead to different sets of inefficiencies. My paper uses a case study approach to look at the mechanisms that allow student associations to efficiently cope specifically with rapidleadership changes. The CEMS student associations have been chosen as a representative and perhaps extreme case to analyze, because of their international presence and peculiar features.’
 
What is the most important conclusion after your research?
‘The most important conclusion of my research is that characteristics that affect a new leader's ability to fast get familiar with her/his role, such as personal features and organziational practices, and an organization's behavior, will both impact the ability to cope well with rapid leadership changes.’
 
Who will find this paper interesting to read?
‘People who are currently studying the internal organizational and leadership dynamics of volunteer-run organizations, and specifically student association, would find this research interesting.’
 
What recommendations can you give that people can put into practice?
‘The recommendations that I can give relate to which personal features, organizational practices, and characteristics of an organization's behavior are, from the results of my study, the most relevant in assisting new leaders and organizations coping with rapid leadership changes.’
 
Rapid Leadership Changes in Volunteer Run-Organizations
Angelica Bertoli
Student number 459916 MSc. International Management/CEMS Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University
1st of February 2018
Academic Coach: Prof. Dr. Lucas C.P.M. Meijs
Co-reader: Prof. Dr. Alexander J.J.A. Maas