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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
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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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