Hi everyone,

I am doing some research and would be grateful if you could give me your opinions on giving to charity. I came on this form last year, and you all kindly helped me when doing my dissertation on charity giving. I am again, doing my 2nd dissertation on charities and would be most grateful for your assistance once again! x

The aim of the dissertation? to identify whether people are indeed becoming disengaged with charities- statistical data identifies that (personal) donations have fallen over the years.

1) Do you feel your participation with charities have increased or decreased over the past 2 years?

2) Has your method of giving changed over the past 2 years? e.g. from giving money to predominately giving your time instead.

3) If employed, does the company you work have a postive charitable corporate culture? e.g. they offer sponsorships and allow employees to undertake fundraisers and help promote it within the company.

4) If your company has a positive chartiable corporate culture- do you think this has had a positive impact on your giving outside of the company? e.g. not only do you get involved with charities/fundraising withn the company but you also get involved with charities away from the company.

5) If the company you work for does not not encourage fundraisers or charity giving, do you feel this influences you to not get involved?

6) Do you think you work for an ethical company?

I would be grateful for your opinions.

Thanks in advance.

I normally bin any charity requests coming through my letter box - but I keep the pens! Hope this information is of some use to you.

HI LordChaverly,

hehe, I sometimes do that too!

If you wouldn't mind answering the questions in my first post? it would be good to get a perspective on whether the workplace influences whether we give or not.

Thanks a mill.

Hi pheedom,

I think I can be of more use to you in your research by advising you to read some texts on research methodology, particularly in relation to sampling techniques and the framing of questionnaires. The answers you would get from a forum like this would be unlikely to constitute a representative sample of the general population, or indeed of any population other than the forum itself. Similarly, I have read your questions and several in my opinion need to be reformulated. I would suggest you show them or reshow them to your research supervisor before proceeding further (this is meant as constructive advice).

LC

Hi LordChaverly,

Thanks for your advice.

I know what you mean about research methodology, I had wanted to do some focus groups, but I don't think I will be able to, so I wanted to get som ideas/opinions offa ppl in forums.

Don't worry, I wasn't going to present the findings of this forum as the basis of my argument, I just needed to weed out any holes. I came to the forum to get basic ideas to incorporate into my questionnaire that I am designing.

About the questions that I posted on this forum- they are not the questions on my survey, they were just a breakdown of my research topic- I asked my supervisor to look at my pilot version, but she wouldn't even do that.

Oh well, nevermind.

Thanks anyway. :P

Depends on the Charity. There are far too many, and feckless ones too. I have a problem with Charities that pay their CE, out of my money, a big fat salary. I also have problems with 'Save the Hedgehog', and ' i'm a grossly irresponsible owner who's out of work but still can afford to buy a pedigree dog but expect YOU to pay for all the vet's bills' charity. Give direct to many small, worthy charities or a large one who really needs the money and has done something for your family. Rant Over.

I also have issues with the amount of money that goes on "admin" in charities. Add corrupt foreign governments into the equation and you really have to look hard to see how your money can be best put to use when there are so many worthwhile causes.

To address your first point, I don't think the size or pattern of my contributions has changed over the years, I tend to stick to the causes that have affected those close to me in some way, and do my best to avoid contributing to anything work sponsored.

I'm not sure which, if any, companies are ethical, but I sleep Ok at night.

Rather like all these 'Wrist Bands' that have suddenly appeared. What's all that about then? 'I've just purchased one for a pound from a Chinese sweat shop so I really care?' I don't think so. Do some charity work, give DIRECTLY to the charity, and as far as the 'End World Poverty' ones go, dream on ................