The supply of volunteer work in Brazil

Author(s)

Luisa de Azevedo Senra Soares

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Economia, Administração e Contabilidade (FEA/SBD)
• Defense date: 2014-10-24

Examining board members

Naercio Aquino Menezes Filho; Ricardo de Abreu Madeira; Cristine Campos de Xavier Pinto

• Advisor: Naercio Aquino Menezes Filho

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate the econometric determinants of volunteer labor supply in Brazil. In recent decades, empirical studies trying to identify the factors that lead individuals to volunteer have been conducted in some countries, but no investigation of such character has been made in Brazil so far. Indeed, little is known about the nation\'s volunteer workers. Using data from PNAD/IBGE, this research shows that they were about 208 thousand in 2012, or 0.17% of the Brazilian population aged 15-64 years, and worked on average 21 hours a week. The pooled Probit and Tobit results indicate that people with lower potential wages (opportunity cost) are more likely to volunteer and devote more time to voluntary activities. Volunteer labor supply also increases with the income of other household members and higher levels of education. Furthermore, there is a U-shaped relation between volunteering and age. Among men, income from other sources than wages is another factor that has a positive influence on the decision to spend some hours a week volunteering. Among women, having a child at home diminishes the willingness to volunteer. In general, the magnitude of the effects of the Probit model is more relevant. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/18192-0 - The supply of volunteer work in Brazil
• Grantee: Luísa de Azevedo Senra Soares
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master