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Voluntary labour supply by birth cohort: empirical evidence from Germany

Author

Listed:
  • Marcus Dittrich

    (Deggendorf Institute of Technology
    CESifo)

  • Bianka Mey

    (Chemnitz University of Technology)

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between the volunteer labour supply as a component of social capital accumulation and birth cohorts. Using cross-sectional data from Germany, we apply pseudo time series and panel methods to study the connection between volunteering, active membership status, and public and private good motivations to capture an apparently changing perception of volunteer work. Our results suggest that volunteering establishes itself as a stable behaviour. Active membership and motives to volunteer to do something for a common good have predictive power. The results suggest that the volunteer labour supply is associated with some kind of institutionalised structures and a public good orientation rather than ‘just having a good time’.

Suggested Citation

  • Marcus Dittrich & Bianka Mey, 2023. "Voluntary labour supply by birth cohort: empirical evidence from Germany," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 50(2), pages 389-410, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:empiri:v:50:y:2023:i:2:d:10.1007_s10663-023-09573-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s10663-023-09573-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Roy, Kakoli & Ziemek, Susanne, 2000. "On the Economics of Volunteering," Discussion Papers 281245, University of Bonn, Center for Development Research (ZEF).
    2. Linardi, Sera & McConnell, Margaret A., 2011. "No excuses for good behavior: Volunteering and the social environment," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(5-6), pages 445-454, June.
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    4. Franz Hackl & Martin Halla & Gerald J. Pruckner, 2007. "Volunteering and Income – The Fallacy of the Good Samaritan?," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(1), pages 77-104, February.
    5. Brekke, Kjell Arne & Hauge, Karen Evelyn & Lind, Jo Thori & Nyborg, Karine, 2011. "Playing with the good guys. A public good game with endogenous group formation," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(9-10), pages 1111-1118, October.
    6. Ziemek, Susanne, 2006. "Economic analysis of volunteers' motivations--A cross-country study," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 532-555, June.
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    9. Jacobsen, Jannes & Schieferdecker, David & Gerstorf, Denis & Hutter, Swen & Specht, Jule, 2022. "Long-Term Dynamics of Voluntary Engagement: Differentiating Social Structural from Cohort and Period Effects," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, issue Online Fi, pages 1-1.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Volunteering; Social capital; Clubs; Times series;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • L31 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - Nonprofit Institutions; NGOs; Social Entrepreneurship
    • D71 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Social Choice; Clubs; Committees; Associations
    • H40 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - General

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