How have organization and management scholars studied volunteering over the past 45 years? To answer this question, we conduct a systematic literature review, critically examining the theoretical frameworks, methodologies, and definitions that have shaped the field. Our analysis shows that most research focused on two volunteering stages—antecedents and experience—, primarily using quantitative methodologies and focusing on volunteer perception as the main unit of analysis. Our review also highlights that much of the literature has centered on the voluntariness of volunteering, contributing to the ongoing conceptual ambiguity surrounding the term. Building on two analytical models, we propose three future research directions that incorporate the often-overlooked role of the volunteer environment and the consequences of volunteering. Drawing on the social problem literature, we argue that volunteering offers substantial potential to address pressing global challenges. To this end, we propose three key research pathways to explore how volunteering contributes to the definition, emergence, and resolution of social problems.
