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Using Economic Theory and Research to Better Understand Volunteer Behavior
Author(s) -
Govekar Paul L.,
Govekar Michele A.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
nonprofit management and leadership
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.844
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1542-7854
pISSN - 1048-6682
DOI - 10.1002/nml.13104
Subject(s) - positive economics , point (geometry) , sociology , economics , public economics , public relations , political science , mathematics , geometry
The literature on the determinants of volunteering for nonprofit organizations is highly complex, and noconceptual model has received general support (Winniford, Carpenter, and Grider, 1997). Researchers often cite the huge economic impact that nonprofit organizations have on the economy as a whole. However, they seldom mention the small but potentially important body of research on the determinants of the supply of volunteer labor that appears in the economics literature. The purpose of this article is to outline some of the economic arguments used to explain the determinants of volunteering and point out some cases where they may support other theories and concepts concerning the determinants of volunteering.