Local Government Volunteer Use: A Resource Dependence and Transaction Costs Explanation

Abstract

Abstract 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. Evidence for Practice To capitalize on resources available in the environment, local governments may use volunteers in service delivery. Local governments confronting fiscal constraints may use volunteers to deliver more services. Local governments that contract out more services to private organizations may use volunteers in more services to lower administrative costs. Volunteer use may serve as a strategy for local governments to leverage resources from the environment and to reduce the transaction costs of depending on other organizations.