Donation Nation: An Explorative Study into Perceptions of and Donation Behaviour to the Charity Sector among the Baby Boomer Generation in Ireland

King, Orla (2018) Donation Nation: An Explorative Study into Perceptions of and Donation Behaviour to the Charity Sector among the Baby Boomer Generation in Ireland. Masters thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.

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Abstract

The charity sector in the republic of Ireland (ROI) remains an area largely understudied in research to-date. In light of recent scandals in the sector, and a reported uncharacteristic decline in donation behaviour per-capita, which is further accentuated by the growing economy in very recent years, there is a need for this topic to be explored now more than ever. While global trends could, in theory, be applied to the ever globalised society, academic knowledge specific to the Irish market and its long history of high donation behaviour remains sparse, with little emphasis on the most generous cohort of the population; the baby boomer generation (born between 1946 and 1964).

The present study seeks to explore perceptions of the charity sector among the baby boomer generation and the influence this has on the charity sector’s ability to encourage donation behaviour in ROI. As the process of donating time and money to charity brands can be linked to consumer behaviour processes, a particular focus has been given to the various marketing techniques implemented by organisations within the sector and the subsequent influence this has on the group’s perceptions and response patterns.

Seven in-depth interviews were completed with members of the general public of ROI, born between 1946 and 1964, using an inductive approach to explore participant perceptions of the charity sector based on their own relationships with these charity brands. Through thematic coding of the primary data, salient themes have been identified as relevant to the overall findings, which found participants to have strong and positive opinions on the importance of the work these organisations do, yet also demonstrated levels of cynicism towards the sector as a whole, and a fatigue towards how the brand message is communicated. Additionally, macroeconomic factors and a perceived sense of selfishness among affluent members of the general public have been suggested as driving forces behind the decline in donation behaviour in the growing economy, implying that further research in the area is warranted in the interest of improving donation into the future.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare > Charity Organisations H Social Sciences > HF Commerce > Marketing > Consumer Behaviour
Divisions:	School of Business > Master of Science in Marketing
Depositing User:	Caoimhe Ní Mhaicín
Date Deposited:	01 Nov 2018 15:42
Last Modified:	01 Nov 2018 15:42
URI:	https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/3403

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