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On the determinants of sporting success – A note on the Olympic Games

Author

Listed:
  • Eike Emrich

    (Saarland University)

  • Markus Klein

    (Saarland University)

  • Werner Pitsch

    (Saarland University)

  • Christian Pierdzioch

    (Helmut-Schmidt-University)

Abstract

We analyzed whether, in democratic open societies, economic and demographic conditions allow sporting success at the aggregate level to be predicted. Theoretical considerations led to the hypothesis that the population size and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita should be important determinants of sporting success. Using regression analysis, we analyzed the influence of population size and GDP per capita on sporting success in Olympic Summer and Winter Games (1992 – 2010). Regarding the Olympic summer games, we found that the most powerful predictor is population size. In contrast, GDP per capita seems to play an important role as a predictor of sporting success with respect to the Olympic winter games.

Suggested Citation

  • Eike Emrich & Markus Klein & Werner Pitsch & Christian Pierdzioch, 2012. "On the determinants of sporting success – A note on the Olympic Games," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 32(3), pages 1890-1901.
    • Handle: RePEc:ebl:ecbull:eb-11-00722
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    File URL: http://www.accessecon.com/Pubs/EB/2012/Volume32/EB-12-V32-I3-P183.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    5. Daniel K. N. Johnson & Ayfer Ali, 2004. "A Tale of Two Seasons: Participation and Medal Counts at the Summer and Winter Olympic Games," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 85(4), pages 974-993, December.
    6. Peter Dawson & Stephen Dobson & Bill Gerrard, 2000. "Estimating Coaching Efficiency in Professional Team Sports: Evidence from English Association Football," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 47(4), pages 399-421, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Schlembach, Christoph & Schmidt, Sascha L. & Schreyer, Dominik & Wunderlich, Linus, 2022. "Forecasting the Olympic medal distribution – A socioeconomic machine learning model," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    2. Alexandre de Cássio Rodrigues & Carlos Alberto Gonçalves & Tiago Silveira Gontijo, 2019. "A two-stage DEA model to evaluate the efficiency of countries at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 39(2), pages 1538-1545.
    3. Christian Pierdzioch & Eike Emrich, 2013. "A Note on Corruption and National Olympic Success," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 41(4), pages 405-411, December.
    4. Barth, Michael & Emrich, Eike & Daumann, Frank, 2017. "Evaluation of sporting success in Austria: An institutional economics analysis," Working Papers of the European Institute for Socioeconomics 20, European Institute for Socioeconomics (EIS), Saarbrücken.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Olympic Games; sporting success; population size; GDP per capita; political economy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • P5 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Comparative Economic Systems
    • Z1 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics

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