Kårens överlevnad: Motiv till medlemskap och free-rider problemet i studentkåren : En kvantitativ studie om studenters val kring medlemskap och engagemang

Sammanfattning

The number of members and committed members is a crucial factor for trade unions and student unions to be able to carry on their work. 5 years after the end of mandatory student union membership, student unions report a decline in participation and increasing difficulty students' commitment in voluntary work. This study will therefore create an understanding in which motives contribute to students' decision not to become a member in a student union, and how these relate to the free-rider problem. And also create an insight in which extent the free-rider problem exists in a student unions operation, including suggestions on how this behavior can be managed and counteracted by student unions. Motives and suggestions on how free-rider behavior can be counteracted is based on similar research within trade unions. The study’s data was collected through a digital survey by students on three-year campus-based programs. The survey answers showed that utility motives were the main motives that made students become members or remain non-members in a student union. Approximately two thirds of the students remained non-members and a similar proportion of the members did not contribute with any voluntary work to the student unions operation. Positive social norms or positive incentive may encourage more students to join and actively participate in student unions work.