TY - JOUR
TI - Values in the Activities of Volunteer Fire Brigades. A Collective Case Study
AU - Wrona, Sylwia
TI - Values in the Activities of Volunteer Fire Brigades. A Collective Case Study
AB - 
	Background. Volunteer fire brigades are primarily active at the local level; they are an organizational form of a self-organizing community; they build and benefit from social capital and pursue many social objectives. The local community – the main audience of their activities – often clusters around them. The activities of volunteer fire brigades result from legal obligations, but also from the values shared by the firefighting community.

	Research aims. The research objective was to identify values shaping the organizational communities of firefighters and activities determined by such values. The values adhered to by volunteer fire brigade members as well as their activities for the benefit of local communities were identified, including those dedicated to sustaining the volunteer fire brigades’ existence.

	Methodology. The strategy for organizing data acquisition and presentation was a collective case study. The research methods that served the purpose of the research included individual interviews, group interviews, participant observations, and analysis of existing documents.

	Findings. The values that shape firefighting communities comprise a sense of public service, trust, friendship, kindness, loyalty, solidarity, respect and cooperation. By treating their commitment as service, firefighters fulfil the need of a sense of community, which they extend beyond organizational boundaries by dedicating their actions to local communities.

	JEL Codes: L31
VL - 2020
IS - Numer 19 (4)
PY - 2020
SN - 2449-8920
C1 - 2449-8939
SP - 21
EP - 40
DO - 10.4467/24498939IJCM.20.012.13483
UR - https://ejournals.eu/czasopismo/international-journal-of-contemporary-management/artykul/values-in-the-activities-of-volunteer-fire-brigades-a-collective-case-study
KW - activities
KW - values
KW - volunteer fire brigades