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The Effects of Financial Incentives on Women's Performance: The Tournament Theory Applied to Female Tennis Players

Author

Listed:
  • Matthieu Llorca

    (LEDi - Laboratoire d'Economie de Dijon - UB - Université de Bourgogne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UB - Université de Bourgogne)

  • Eric Barget

    (UNILIM - Université de Limoges, CDES - Centre de Droit et d'Economie du Sport - UNILIM - Université de Limoges)

  • Thierry Teste

    (UB - Université de Bourgogne, SPMS - Laboratoire de Socio-Psychologie et Management du Sport - UB - Université de Bourgogne)

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the management model of women's professional tennis by using the theoretical framework of the tournament theory. Indeed, this sport is particularly appropriate to study the effects of financial incentives on women's performance in the context of competitive elimination tournament. Moreover, we take into account the direct opposition between players by building two relative performance indicators. Empirical tests are conducted, by using Ordinary Least Squares method, on the whole tournaments played by the 30 best women's tennis players, over the 2011 season. Interesting implication found is that one tournament theory principle, the incentive effect, is confirmed. In other words, an undistributed prize structure between tournament rounds increases the player performance. However, the other consequence of the tournament theory, the participative effect, is rejected because the monetary gains distributed by the tournament's organizer (either the premium earned or the total dollar endowment) do not induce better player performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Matthieu Llorca & Eric Barget & Thierry Teste, 2017. "The Effects of Financial Incentives on Women's Performance: The Tournament Theory Applied to Female Tennis Players," Post-Print hal-04704537, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04704537
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-04704537v1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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