nep-spo 2014-12-03 papers

on Sports and Economics

Issue of 2014‒12‒03
two papers chosen by
João Carlos Correia Leitão
Universidade da Beira Interior

The Contribution of Managers to Organizational Success: Evidence from German Soccer By Hentschel, Sandra; Muehlheusser, Gerd; Sliwka, Dirk
Brazil and the 2014 World Cup By Pflüger, Wolfgang; Quitzau, Jörn; Vöpel, Henning

The Contribution of Managers to Organizational Success: Evidence from German Soccer

By:	Hentschel, Sandra (University of Bielefeld); Muehlheusser, Gerd (University of Hamburg); Sliwka, Dirk (University of Cologne)
Abstract:	We study the impact of managers on the success of professional soccer teams using data from the German "Bundesliga". We evaluate the performance impact of individual managers by estimating regression models that include both team and manager fixed effects, where we are exploiting the high turnover of managers between teams to disentangle the managers' contributions. We find that teams employing a manager at the 75% ability percentile gain on average 0:25 points per game more than those employing a manager at the 25% ability percentile, which corresponds to a sizeable difference of 18% of the average number of points awarded per game. Moreover, estimated abilities have significant predictive power for future performance.
Keywords:	managerial skills, human capital, empirical, fixed effects, professional sports
JEL:	J24 J44 J63
Date:	2014–10
URL:	http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp8560&r=spo

Brazil and the 2014 World Cup

By:	Pflüger, Wolfgang; Quitzau, Jörn; Vöpel, Henning
Abstract:	The opening game of the 20th FIFAWorld Cup in Brazil will kick off in São Paulo on 12 June. Two years later, Brazil will again be under public scrutiny around the world when Rio de Janeiro hosts the XXXI Summer Olympics. These events are giving Brazil the chance to present itself to the world as a powerful, safe and modern country. But in the run-up to the World Cup, massive protests against the country's political leaders have erupted among large parts of the population. Even though few countries are as sport- and especially football-mad as Brazil, many Brazilians view the World Cup as a symbol of corruption and mismanagement. Some stadiums are still not finished a few weeks before the start of the World Cup, and massive security concerns prevail. Things are not going all that smoothly for the host country in economic terms either. Given the difficult situation at present, Brazil's chances of winning the World Cup are certainly much greater than of it being able to catch up with the world's leading economies any time soon.
Abstract:	Am 12. Juni beginnt mit dem Eröffnungsspiel in São Paulo die 20. FIFA Fußball-Weltmeisterschaft in Brasilien. Zwei Jahre später steht Brasilien erneut im Fokus der Weltöffentlichkeit, wenn Rio de Janeiro Gastgeber der XXXI. Olympischen Sommerspiele sein wird. Brasilien hat damit die Chance, sich der Welt als leistungsstarkes, sicheres und modernes Land zu präsentieren. Doch im Vorfeld der WM ist es in weiten Teilen der Bevölkerung zu massiven Protesten gegen die politische Führung des Landes gekommen. Obwohl kaum ein Land so sport- und insbesondere fußballbegeistert ist wie Brasilien, sehen viele Brasilianer in der WM ein Symbol für Korruption und Misswirtschaft. Wenige Wochen vor Beginn der WM sind einige Stadien immer noch nicht fertig gestellt, und es gibt massive Sicherheitsbedenken. Auch wirtschaftlich läuft im Gastgeberland momentan nicht alles rund. Angesichts der aktuell schwierigen Situation stehen Brasiliens Chancen auf den Gewinn des WM-Titels wohl deutlich besser, als sich schon bald wirtschaftlich unter den führenden Volkswirtschaften etablieren zu können.
Date:	2014
URL:	http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:hwwist:18e&r=spo

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