Local Government Volunteer Use: A Resource Dependence and Transaction Costs Explanation
成果类型：
Article
署名作者：
Kang, Seong C.; Nesbit, Rebecca; Brudney, Jeffrey L.
署名单位：
New Mexico State University; University System of Georgia; University of Georgia; University of North Carolina; University of North Carolina Wilmington
刊物名称：
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REVIEW
ISSN/ISSBN：
0033-3352
DOI：
10.1111/puar.13320
发表日期：
2022
页码：
806-817
关键词：
摘要：
Volunteer use in the United States constitutes a service delivery alternative in which public agencies involve citizens to assist in delivering public services. This article provides a resource dependence and transaction costs explanation for why local governments in the United States may involve volunteers in service delivery. Using a survey of local government service delivery arrangements, we analyze a repeated cross-sectional dataset derived from four separate years to examine the factors associated with volunteer use. Key findings suggest that fiscal constraints are associated with volunteer use in more municipal government services, while county governments with more resources use volunteers in more services. Contracting out to private organizations is associated with more volunteer use in both municipalities and counties. The findings provide evidence that volunteer use constitutes an effort by local governments in the United States to leverage resources from the environment and to reduce the transaction costs of depending on other organizations.