Date of Award

3-1-2013

Document Type

Masters Thesis

Degree Name

M.A.

Organizational Unit

College of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences

First Advisor

Renee Botta, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Lynn S. Clark

Third Advisor

Margaret Thompson

Fourth Advisor

Carol Johnson

Keywords

Efficacy, Forest service, Public relations, Relationship management theory, Volunteerism

Abstract

The relationship between Forest Service land managers and volunteers was studied quantitatively utilizing theoretical principles of relationship management theory and efficacy. 39 Forest Service employees completed quantitative surveys designed to compare within sample responses related to four volunteer partner types. Results showed measurable differences between mean scores for relationship quality and efficacy levels between partnership types selected as those land managers most liked and least liked working with. Partial support was found for the hypothesis stating that levels of relationship quality would predict willingness to recruit and work with volunteers, and partial support was also found for the hypothesis stating that levels of self-efficacy and response efficacy would predict willingness to recruit and work with volunteers. Although key limitations exist, this first attempt at a quantitative evaluation of this relationship between a government agency and its public reveals several conclusions relevant to the Forest Service and volunteer partnerships.

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Rights Holder

Jessica H. Evett

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Format

application/pdf

Language

en

File Size

136 p.

Discipline

Communication, Recreation and tourism, Mass communication

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