Title: Volunteer programme in mega sport events: the case of the Olympic Winter Games, Torino 2006

Authors: Nicolas Chanavat, Alain Ferrand

Addresses: Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL), EA 647, Centre de Recherche et d'Innovation sur le Sport (CRIS), Batiment Raphael Dubois, 27-29 Boulevard du 11, Novembre 1918 – 69 622 Villeurbanne Cedex, France. ' Universite de Poitiers, EA 1722, Centre de Recherche en Sciences de Gestion (CEREGE), 20 Rue Guillaume VII Le Troubadour, B.P. 639 – 86022 Poitiers Cedex, France

Abstract: Running a volunteer programme for a mega sport event, such as the Olympic Games, involves many people over a number of years. A successful programme requires rigorous planning and organisation right from the inception of the project. The purpose of this article was to present the essential strategic and operational success keys factors that must be taken into account through the case study of the Olympic Winter Games, Torino 2006. The method used was a series of field interviews of key persons of the organisation committee and analysis of Olympic official documents of the games (e.g., Final Report – Torino 2006). The Torino Organising Committee (TOROC) of the XX Winter Olympic Games has adopted an organisational model based on the two main macro areas which correspond to the main results presented as follows: 1) promotion of the volunteer programme; 2) planning, recruitment, training and organisation of volunteers. The analysis of the completed interviews with professional organisers of the mega sports event volunteer programme yielded key findings applicable to mega sport events. Suggestions for further research, along with practical guidelines for the perpetuation of the volunteerism as an integral part of sport enterprises are offered.

Keywords: volunteer programmes; human resources management; HRM; TOROC; Torino Organising Committee; Olympic Games; Winter Olympics 2006; critical success factors; sport management; volunteerism; volunteering; volunteer recruitment; volunteer organisation; volunteer planning; volunteer training; volunteers.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSMM.2010.032553

International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 2010 Vol.7 No.3/4, pp.241 - 266

Published online: 07 Apr 2010 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article