Volunteer use as an alternative service delivery arrangement entails public organizations directly incorporating volunteers in service production through a quasi-employment relationship. However, research evaluating the contributions of volunteer labor to organizational performance are relatively few. This article fills this gap by drawing from two theoretical insights. First, this study tests a linear model based on the traditional human resource management approach of interchangeability in which volunteers constitute a one-on-one substitute for paid employees. Second, this study draws insight from critical mass theory to explore a nonlinear model based on the assumption that the productivity of one volunteer may not be equal to that of one paid employee due to the systematic limitations of volunteer labor. Analyzing a large-N panel dataset of 2,420 local law enforcement agencies in the United States that utilize sworn volunteers with general arrest powers, the findings indicate that an increase in the number of sworn volunteers has a linear negative effect on clearing violent crimes in sheriffs offices. However, the results also indicate evidence of curvilinear effects on clearing violent crimes in police departments. This article suggests the need to account for the systematic limitations of volunteer labor when measuring performance and to explore multiple indicators. This study contributes to theory building and testing by enabling a two-way understanding of the relationship between volunteer involvement and organizational performance in the public sector.

中文翻译：

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公共服务生产中的志愿者：模拟志愿者对组织绩效的贡献

使用志愿者作为替代性服务提供安排需要公共组织通过准雇佣关系直接将志愿者纳入服务生产。然而，评估志愿劳动对组织绩效贡献的研究相对较少。本文通过两个理论见解填补了这一空白。首先，本研究测试了基于传统人力资源管理可互换性方法的线性模型，其中志愿者构成带薪员工的一对一替代品。其次，本研究借鉴临界质量理论，探索一种非线性模型，该模型基于这样的假设：由于志愿劳动的系统性限制，一名志愿者的生产力可能不等于一名带薪雇员的生产力。分析 2 个大 N 面板数据集，美国420个地方执法机构使用具有一般逮捕权的宣誓志愿者，调查结果表明，宣誓志愿者数量的增加对警长办公室清除暴力犯罪具有线性负面影响。然而，结果也表明了警察部门清除暴力犯罪的曲线效应的证据。本文建议在衡量绩效时需要考虑志愿劳动的系统性局限性并探索多个指标。这项研究通过对公共部门志愿者参与和组织绩效之间关系的双向理解，有助于理论构建和测试。调查结果表明，宣誓志愿者人数的增加对警长办公室清除暴力犯罪具有线性负面影响。然而，结果也表明了警察部门清除暴力犯罪的曲线效应的证据。本文建议在衡量绩效时需要考虑志愿劳动的系统性局限性并探索多个指标。这项研究通过对公共部门志愿者参与和组织绩效之间关系的双向理解，有助于理论构建和测试。调查结果表明，宣誓志愿者人数的增加对警长办公室清除暴力犯罪具有线性负面影响。然而，结果也表明了警察部门清除暴力犯罪的曲线效应的证据。本文建议在衡量绩效时需要考虑志愿劳动的系统性局限性并探索多个指标。这项研究通过对公共部门志愿者参与和组织绩效之间关系的双向理解，有助于理论构建和测试。研究结果还表明，警察部门清除暴力犯罪存在曲线效应。本文建议在衡量绩效时需要考虑志愿劳动的系统性局限性并探索多个指标。这项研究通过对公共部门志愿者参与和组织绩效之间关系的双向理解，有助于理论构建和测试。研究结果还表明，警察部门清除暴力犯罪存在曲线效应。本文建议在衡量绩效时需要考虑志愿劳动的系统性局限性并探索多个指标。这项研究通过对公共部门志愿者参与和组织绩效之间关系的双向理解，有助于理论构建和测试。