Handbook of research on nonprofit economics and management

Nonprofit organizations are arguably the fastest growing and most dynamic part of modern market economies in democratic countries. This Handbook explores the frontiers of knowledge at the intersection of economics and the management of these entities. Top researchers in the field review the role, structure, and behavior of private nonprofit organizations as economic units and their participation in markets and systems of public service delivery, assess the implications of this knowledge for the efficient management of nonprofit organizations and the formulation of effective public policy, and identify cutting-edge questions for future research. Building on the success of the first edition, this thoroughly revised and expanded edition explores: (1) areas of general agreement from previous research; (2) areas of conflicting results and unexplored questions; (3) the relative roles of theory, data availability, and empirical analysis in explaining gaps in our knowledge; and (4) what must be done to improve our knowledge and extend the literature. Selected original chapters addressing especially challenging topics include: the value of risk management to nonprofit decision-making; nonprofit wages theory and evidence; the valuation of volunteer labor; property tax exemption for non-profits; when is competition good for the third sector; product diversification and social enterprise; international perspectives; the application of experimental research; and the macroeconomic effects of the nonprofit sector. This book is a valuable resource for academics, but the concerns of nonprofit sector managers and decision-makers are also addressed, making it a useful reference for practitioners as well.