This paper explores individual motives for volunteering. The analysis is based on the interpretation of volunteering as a consumption good (consumption model) or as a mean to increase individual's own human capital (investment model). We present an econometric framework taking into account self selection into volunteering and simultaneity between the volunteering decision and the determination of income in order to test these two models and to identify the underlying motives.We find strong statistical evidence for the investment model with a highly robust and significant impact of volunteering on the wage rate. Within the framework of the investment model it turns out that the number of volunteering hours plays a major role in explaining this wage premium. This supports the significance of skill acquisition to accumulate human capital, the importance of deepening of social contacts and signalling willingness to perform. As far as the consumption model is concerned we find no clear statistical evidence for its validity.

Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen:Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden.Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen.Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. Terms of use: Documents in Forthcoming in Health EconomicsMarch 31, 2014 (First version: January 2012) AbstractUsing a matched insurant-general practitioner panel data set, we estimate the effect of a general health screening program on individuals' health status and health care cost. To account for selection into treatment we use regional variation in the intensity of exposure to supply-determined screening recommendations as an instrumental variable. We find that screening participation increases in-and outpatient health care cost up to two years after treatment substantially. In the medium-run, we find cost savings in the outpatient sector whereas, in the long-run, no statistically significant effects of screening on either health care cost component can be discerned. In sum, screening participation increases health care cost. Given that we do not find any statistically significant effect of screening participation on insurants' health status (at any point in time), we do not recommend a general health screening program. However, given that we find some evidence for cost-saving potential for the sub-sample of younger insurants, we suggest more targeted screening programs.

Volunteering, Voluntary labor supply, Private provision of public goods, Public social expenditure, Political consensus, Democratization, H41, H44, H31, J22, I38, H11, D30, D64,

The paper presents contingent valuation (CV) estimates of benefits provided by a proposed 'Kalkalpen' National Park in Austria. Although descriptive results of welfare measures are presented, the focus of the paper is on methodological questions concerning the analysis of CV answers. Evidence is given regarding the difference between payment card (PC) answers and closed-ended question formats. Based on different estimation models for CV questions substantial differences are found between closed-ended and payment card welfare measures. On average PC-willingness to pay (WTP) measures are below the closed-ended figures. Since the evaluation models are based on different premises in the calculation of WTP figures a more precise disclosure of the underlying evaluation methods is required if different question formats are compared to one another. Identical assumptions on the probability distributions have to be assumed whenever open- and closed-ended CV welfare measures are compared. Taking theoretical arguments into account the application of the closedended double-bounded Spike model that provides an average welfare measure is recommended.

We analyse local compensation payments made to farmers for providing landscape amenities in Alpine tourist communities. These payments result from political bargaining at the municipal level. Panel data estimation shows that the probability of introducing compensation payments depends positively on the benefits of landscape amenities. Although no impact of service provision cost is found, transaction costs at different levels of the bargaining process reduce the probability of payments. Compensation payments mainly occur in communities where the provision of agricultural landscape services is perceived as relatively low and the diversity of the countryside seems to be endangered. We argue that municipal compensation payments are an important supplement to national and European Union policy measures in support of less-favoured areas.