Mass media often publish reports saying that violence of football supporters is a severe and wide-spread problem beleaguering German professional football. Since around 1980, German football clubs founded fan projects in an attempt to reduce violence among football supporters. The results reported in this research show that violence of football supporters, in contrast to frequent media reports, has not increased during the last ten years. This result is in line with results of a questionnaire study of representatives of fan projects. Notwithstanding, considerable resources have been spent in the past to solve this non-existent social problem. A stylized socioeconomic model is being developed in this research to explain the empirical findings. (link to full text)

Assuming a homo socio-oeconomicus who is generally trying to maximize his utility, corresponding motives for voluntary engagement should be dominant. But since these Motives are, unlike altruistic motives, socially undesirable, a systematic bias can be expected when empirically testing corresponding hypotheses. On the basis of an online survey of volunteers in football clubs, this bias has been measured using indirect interview techniques. The testing of the formulated auxiliary hypotheses used confirms the hard core of assumptions that volunteers have egoistic utility motives. (link to full text)

Research rankings are partly based on bibliometric data. The indicators used to evaluate the publication contributions often lead to discussions. This article examines the problems and consequences of recording publication performance in sports science. After a characterisation of the science market and the genesis of the current CHE-Ranking in sports science, the impact of changed transformation rules in the evaluation of publication performance, possible scale effects in publication activity, the influence of the publication form on the ranking position, the connection of age with preferred publication forms and the influence of age on publication output are examined on an empirical basis. It is clear, among other things, that the effects of publication ranking favour risk-averse as well as ranking influenced strategies in the choice of research topic or research method, especially among younger scientists, which in turn leads to an undesired, innovation-hostile homogenisation tendency under competitive conditions. (link to full text)

In addition to the preservation of the Olympic idea and the organisation of the Olympic Games, the marketing of the competition is the responsibility of the IOC. However, it is not only the sporting performance in competition that is marketed, but a complementary good consisting of the sporting (top) performance and the belief in the rule-compliant provision of this performance. In the case of doping, there is the problem that the breach of the rules through the use of illicit substances cannot be immediately detected by the spectators of the competitions, but only becomes apparent after the doping samples have been evaluated. Doping thus leads to a problem that extends over several periods with regard to the marketing of the co-product (performance and honest provision of services). This article looks at the resulting tensions in the IOC and how these are managed at the athlete and provider level while maintaining income opportunities. In detail, it examines the special trust characteristics of Olympic sport, the function of belief in the regularity of performance and how this belief is produced, as well as the function of thresholds. Subsequently, a formalization approach is presented, which tries to reflect the benefit maximizing decisions of the three interest groups in the context of Olympic sport, namely organizers, athletes and spectators. The focus is on the benefits that spectators derive from Olympic sport. The maximum spectator benefit is achieved precisely under the condition that few doping tests are carried out.  (link to full text)

By means of an online survey among volunteers of the German Red Cross (GRC), it was investigated whether the use of the Internet influences the volunteers' attachment to the GRC. Loyalty to the GRC was measured multi-dimensionally based on the willingness of volunteers to donate, their expressed willingness to expand their voluntary work and their satisfaction with their voluntary work, whereby numerous socio-economic factors were monitored. The empirical findings show that intensive volunteer-related use of the Internet, but not the intensity of use for leisure activities, has a bond-strengthening effect. The analysis makes a contribution to the discussion of the question of the influence of Internet use or the intensity of Internet use on social capital and social inclusion of users by discussing this question in a volunteer-related context using a micro-data set for a large organisation of the social economy with a differentiated consideration of different intensities and forms of Internet use. (link to full text)

By means of an online survey among volunteers of the German Red Cross (GRC), the development of civil society involvement over the life cycle was examined. From around the age of 40, volunteers significantly intensify their involvement in civil society. Furthermore, the results of both a direct survey and an indirect survey, which was used to check for possible bias in the answers, show that the increased involvement is accompanied by a shift in the motives for volunteer work, from extrinsic-egoistic to altruistic motives. (link to full text)

In the light of the Principal Agent Theory, changing structural imbalances between sports federations and state sports federation in Rhineland-Palatinate are investigated over time. Until about 1966, the state sports federation was a kind of political office, which was run alternately as an extended arm and with a high degree of transparency by one of the three sports federations and effectively represented their interests vis-à-vis the state government. Since 1966, the State Sports Federation has developed from a servant of three masters as a legal entity in its own right to an equal partner of the sports federations with strong self-interests, while constantly expanding its tasks. From this, a power struggle between the sports federations and the State Sports Federation is developing, which is initially caused by increasing state funds and subsequently intensified by decreasing state funds and the increased leadership of the State Sports Federation in terms of state politics. State politics uses the power vacuum resulting from the status rivalry in the sense of an effective external representation of sport as an entrepreneur in the vote market in order to increase its chances of re-election and generally the influence of state politics in organised sport by promoting popular commercial sport. (link to full text)

Using a new dataset, we study the socioeconomic characteristics of volunteers working for the German Red Cross. Based on theoretical considerations, we compare volunteers of the German Red Cross with volunteers working for German football clubs. Such a comparison allows volunteerism in altruistic versus egoistic clubs to be studied. We use our theoretical considerations to derive hypotheses regarding the class-dependence of volunteerism, the motives of volunteers and the time they spent on volunteering, and the utility volunteers derive from their work. Against the background of our empirical results, we discuss how the recruitment of volunteers and their commitment can be strengthened. (link to full text)

Politically driven mechanisms of external control drive scientists into a rat race for third-party funding and impact factors that is also personally relevant to their income. This weakens their attachment to the pure ethos of research in the sense of Merton (1938) and increases the probability of affirmative research, and the more intense the less the attachment to the pure ethos of research becomes. With regard to evaluation research as a form of applied science, which is offered both in and outside the university, the following questions arise: What concrete institutional influences is evaluation research exposed to inside and outside the university? What specific competitive relationships can arise between the types of providers of evaluation knowledge, and what effects does this have on the respective knowledge production? What structural aspects and interaction dynamics shape the social relationship between client and contractor, both for providers within and outside the university science sector? In order to answer these questions, the following approach is taken: First, the question of the independence of evaluation research is discussed in a brief overview, depending on the context (university versus non-university evaluation research). Then, with the help of empirical findings, the problem of the professional ethics of researchers working in evaluation is shown and reflected in the pure ethos of research (Merton 1938). In the following, the social relationship between client and recipient is illustrated with the help of game theory considerations and, with the help of the concept of incomplete contracts discussed in institutional economics (cf. Richter & Furubotn, 1999), the dynamics of interaction and changing structural imbalances are discussed, both for non-university service providers and for university ones. (link to full text)

In a scientific discipline which, as an applied science during the Cold War, was supposed to symbolically enable and support the superiority of the respective bloc on the field of sport, it has always been difficult to follow the principles of the ethos of research unrestrictedly and unconditionally. These expectations of the so-called practice of university sports science, in concert with the increasing external control of the university, increase the chances of affirmative findings being delivered. In this network of tension, a strict orientation towards the CUDOS norms of Merton (1985) reduces the chances of affirmative findings, but at the same time the chance of inner-scientific recognition is reduced in relation to many other university scientific disciplines. For example, sports science does not even exist in the German Research Foundation as a separate discipline to be funded. In this respect, the use of time for the consumption of media recognition or the recognition of sports practice is more likely to be expected than the consumption of time for the production of internal scientific recognition. There are two reasons that favour this state of affairs. Firstly, university science is developing in such a way that the consumption of external recognition is becoming increasingly significant, and secondly, sports scientists often have a certain proximity to the subject of sport, i.e. they tend to become closer in the balancing of proximity and distance, which in turn is reinforced by the orientation towards practice in the discipline as applied science. (link to full text)

Brands are complex promises. The consumption of Olympic sports (e.g. by spectators) is socially embedded and dependent on trust. Reputation of the IOC and compliance (e.g. freedom from doping) of Olympic athletes are important demand factors. Protests in Switzerland, Bavaria and currently in Brazil against the organisation of the Olympic Games, data from Olympic spectator surveys and the significance of the Olympic medal table provide empirical evidence that fairness and ethical commitment as an ethical argument that is partly independent of price and income are incorporated into the consumer demand function. In order to resolve the conflict between the goals of the production function (top sporting performance, income) and the legitimacy function (fair, clean Olympic sport), the IOC not only decouples speech and action in its communications, but also invests in the appearance of compliance with rules and media influence as a benefit for maximising stakeholders. The interrelationships are depicted in a formal model of the IOC as a benefit for maximising actors. (link to full text)

In an anonymous experiment with induced fairness norms, physical exercises (squat jumps with arm-swings) are used as payment units in order to avoid windfall gains. We vary fairness norms, authority norms and social control in three experiments and find evidence that endogenous factors are having an effect even without windfall gains. Authority norms and social control result in less norm violations, but they do not result in a collective higher payment in the cost situation we created. We believe payments above the fairness norm to be a sequential cash flow with a random probability of termination after each payment. (link to full text)

The detection rate of identified doping consumers is relatively stable over time, if one considers the detection rate of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) or National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) in Germany. As always, when social behaviour and institutional regulations prove to be stable and resistant to various attempts at change despite attempts to contain or combat them, reasons for this can be assumed from a (socio)economic perspective, namely: There are status- and income-related interests of individual and corporate actors who fear loss of income and function and therefore fight to maintain their status quo and thus ultimately to preserve material and immaterial income. There are institutional regulations in sport which allow for a demand-relevant optimum between maximum performance and integrity of the performance rendered and thus stabilize income opportunities. It is to be assumed that this optimum, even in the face of exogenous shocks over time, driven by the interests of the players, will always lead to new states of equilibrium. The following contribution is intended as a first sketch: The general social construction mechanism of a social problem is applied to the phenomenon of doping. Furthermore, the media coverage of doping, especially gene doping, will be analysed. Two aspects are important here, firstly the significance of media reports as an exogenous factor and secondly their use to establish a new business field for anti-doping organizations. Finally, the theoretical considerations are cast into a formal model and the current situation is interpreted in the light of this model. (link to full text)

Economists use three types of models to describe voluntary labour supply: the public goods model, the private consumption model and the human capital model. We have used data from an online survey of volunteers working for the German Red Cross to investigate to what extent each type helps to explain the supply of voluntary labour. To this end, we empirically investigated different correlates of the supply of volunteer labour, including the components of the benefits agents receive from volunteering. We used strengthened regression trees to track the main correlations of the supply of volunteer labor to investigate the relative contributions of the benefit components and possible interaction effects between the benefit components and other correlates. (link to full text)

We used reinforced regression trees to investigate the interaction between game quality and volunteers' Internet usage. In our use of the term, game quality reflects the congruence between the volunteers' motives for their volunteer work and their user experiences. Using data from an online survey of volunteers working for the German Red Cross, we found a positive correlation between match quality and both social media use and the intensity of volunteer internet use. We used the estimated amplified regression trees to investigate the relative importance of Internet use and other control variables for match quality, the partial dependence of match quality on Internet use and control variables, and the interaction of Internet use with control variables. (link to full text)

Using data from a large sample of German football referees, we investigated the motives for working as a football referee. Based on a long tradition of modelling in the literature on the economics of volunteering, we investigated altruistic motives (public welfare model) versus non-altruistic (selfish private consumption and human capital motives). We distinguished between self-determined and externally determined motives. We found that altruistic motives are on average less pronounced than other motives. Altruistic motives ascribed to others are stronger than altruistic motives ascribed to themselves, indicating a distortion of self-interest. We also found that referees who report strong altruistic motives are more likely to give up refereeing if other referees would referee more games, which is consistent with the public interest model. In line with the human capital model, altruistic motives are more pronounced in older referees. Altruistic motives are also more pronounced in those referees who consider refereeing to be a voluntary activity. (link to full text)

A central argument in favour of public funding of top-level sport is the assertion that success at Olympic Games or World Championships would help the country as a whole to gain greater international prestige. While this assumption generally seems plausible, it clearly lacks specification. Therefore, in a first step, several theoretical approaches are discussed in order to unravel what forms of prestige of states can be aspired to in which sports and events. Subsequently, the (rather limited!) state of empirical research on the topic is summarized. Even the few available results show that the formula "the more success, the more prestige" is all too simple. In the following, possible methodological approaches and available indicators for sport-induced changes in international prestige are presented and discussed. The paper concludes with proposals for concrete steps towards a more systematic analysis of the issues at stake. (link to full text)

In this paper, the consumption behaviour of football stadium visitors is empirically investigated. We investigate (1) which benefits arise from passive football consumption in stadiums, (2) under which conditions this consumption can become an "addiction" and (3) to what extent such an addiction can be described as "rational". The findings confirm the assumptions that the benefit of watching increases with certain types of consumer capital (experience and information) and that obsessive consumption is associated with higher benefits in general and social benefits in particular. We investigate (1) which benefits arise from passive football consumption in stadiums, (2) under which conditions this consumption can become an "addiction" and (3) to what extent such an addiction can be described as "rational". The findings confirm the assumptions that the benefit of watching increases with certain types of consumer capital (experience and information) and that obsessive consumption is associated with higher benefits in general and social benefits in particular. (link to full text)

Against the background that the number of referees has been declining in recent years, the German Football Association (DFB) must answer two central questions: (i) Why do referees end their careers, and (ii) what factors determine the length of a referee's career? We have examined these questions using data from a questionnaire study with former referees. The results of the estimation of linear regression models and a Cox model show that the duration of a typical referee career depends, among other things, on how an arbitrator thinks his career will develop according to his plan, and on whether the referee successfully handles insults, threats and violence. The "survival rate" of a referee increases in the subjective assessment of the importance of know-how specific to football. Around 39% of former referees stated that the end of their refereeing career could have been prevented. Against the background that the number of referees has declined in recent years, the German Football Association (DFB) must answer two central questions: (i) Why do referees end their careers, and (ii) what factors determine the length of a referee's career? We have examined these questions using data from a questionnaire study with former referees. The results of the estimation of linear regression models and a Cox model show that the duration of a typical referee career depends, among other things, on how an arbitrator thinks his career will develop according to his plan, and on whether the referee successfully handles insults, threats and violence. The "survival rate" of a referee increases in the subjective assessment of the importance of know-how specific to football. About 39% of former referees stated that the end of their refereeing career could have been prevented. (link to full text)

In the analysis of Austrian top-class sport, a distinction can be made between hierarchical and market economy organisation. Following Williamson, the question of a superiority of the form of governance based on the factor specificity of investments is investigated. The results of an applied logit-loglinear model based on data from surveys with Austrian "cadre athletes" show that such a superiority does not seem to exist. Further examination of the data shows that these results are apparently due to Austria's "prerequisites". In a hybrid form of organisation such as the one in Austria, centralisation may have exceeded the optimal level, and the congruence of the various products seems to be overemphasised.  (link to full text)

Volunteering can be interpreted as a search process that balances the supply of volunteer labour with the demand for volunteering by voluntary organisations such as sports clubs. Using novel data from an online questionnaire study among German sports club members, we constructed a Match Quality Index (MQI) that measures the result of this search process: the congruence of motives for volunteering and the benefit experience from volunteering. On average, the MQI is higher for volunteers who would increase their workload if their sports club received additional public subsidies or other volunteers increased their workload (crowding-in effect). The MQI is also higher on average for volunteers who would increase their workload if other volunteers reduced their workload (crowding-in effect). In addition, the quality of match shows a positive correlation with important results of volunteer work such as volunteer satisfaction, the work offered and the confidence of volunteers that they meet the requirements of their volunteer positions. The MQI is positively correlated with a bridging but also with a connecting element of social capital. (link to full text)

Standards play a central role in the discussions on the use of nudges to stimulate desired behaviour. With the help of a variation of the dictatorial game we investigate whether the reference to an equal distribution norm causes a change in behaviour in the sense of nudging. We further examine whether the effect of the equal distribution norm depends on the size of the group that benefits from division. Our results show a medium to large effect when reference is made to an equal distribution norm. However, this effect seems to be independent of the size of the group that benefits. The results prove to be robust to manna effects inherent in dictatorial games. (link to full text)

Numerous sports economics studies refer to the "market values" provided by the transfermarkt.de platform. A theoretical consideration of what is to be understood by this term and whether the figures determined satisfy a valuation-theoretical foundation remains unconsidered. The present contribution aims to contribute to closing this research gap and analyses transfermarkt.de's market value analysis in the light of modern valuation theory. It is shown that although "market values" can be used for argumentation purposes in negotiations, it is not possible to support decisions in the run-up to a player transfer. (link to full text)

The business model of sports is based on trust, reputation and fairness. In recent years sports associations have often engaged in crime, corruption and non-compliance, which has damaged the reputation of sports. A professional compliance tool to counteract the loss of trust is still missing, an early-warning system for sports organisations could provide a solution. It simulates how they react to non-tolerable instances of corruption, doping or violations of competitive integrity. The aim of this article is to present the first step developing an earlywarning system for sports associations. The approach of New Institutional Economics was chosen to be the theoretical framework to understand the characteristics of corrupt deals and from that identify indicators that uncover corruption at an early stage. To support the normative process of indicator finding a literature research and a case study were carried out. The results indicate that corrupt deals involve three phases and that the relationship between the corrupt partners is central. Regarding to the strong bonds in corrupt relationships a lack of term limitations, no rotation in leadership positions, missing systems of whistleblowing or insufficient transparency could be possible indicators for corruption and non-compliance in sports associations. (link to full text)

Health is, beside of other services and commodities, e.g. education or social housing, a merit, quasi-public good. Since private provision of health services would presumptively not be sufficient in quality and quantity, one could argue there is a responsibility by the state to provide a sufficient amount of health services to its population. However, it is difficult to quantify the sufficient amount with public goods, in general. One required component of the healthcare provision is infrastructure, such as hospitals, operation theaters etc. and its related equipment, such as beds, imaging devices etc. To estimate the existing infrastructure in the European countries, without an on-the-ground evaluation, we use investment time series for tangible and intangible assets (Gross Fixed Capital Formation) reported to Eurostat and compute Capital Stock for each country, using the Perpetual Inventory Method (PIM) considering country specific depreciation rates and growth rates for each included asset. Based on the last computed capital stock in 2016 as benchmark, we evaluate the effect of the global financial crises in 2008. Furthermore, we run two future scenarios for EU28 in total and each country: (I) how much annual investment is needed, such that the capital stocks keep pace with annual GDP growth rates and (II) how much annual investment is needed, such that the 2016 capital stock per capita can be maintained in the future.  (link to full text)

Apart from a broad consensus statement stressing the essential role of practice for achieving success in international senior-level competitions, the nature and scope of developmental participation leading to that extraordinary success in sports have been controversially discussed in international literature for many years. The aim of this paper is to contribute to the existing body of literature in two respects: first, by reviewing the existing literature comparing the developmental activities of internationally and only nationally successful senior athletes. Second, a new methodical approach combining decision trees and gradient boosting is applied to data from a previous study, the results of which were internationally published. This does not only allow for the realization of a multivariate analysis (robustness check), but also gives reasonable hope of achieving a relatively better explanation than with the procedures applied in the past. The approach is realized by means of Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost under the R environment). The results indicate that some formerly found differences in the volume of structured practice in main and other sports between internationally and only nationally successful athletes may represent rather artifacts of uncontrolled age effects than variables that differentiate the groups. In the context of the specialization-diversification debate, the present results indicate that from today’s perspective there is a debate about a “production function”, the structure of which is unknown. Obviously, practice-related recommendations on developmental practice volume are expressions of highly rationalized myths rather than evidence-based efficient norms. (link to full text)

There are increasing media reports concerning a planned “Super League” in European football. The following paper analyzes the debate from an economic point of view. Therefore, the article presents a cost-benefit analysis from the perspective of the FC Bayern Munich that is one of two German candidates for the “Super League”. The analysis points out that advantages and disadvantages must be balanced carefully and that the final decisions is based on the uncertainty of the future. (link to full text)

The news magazine Spiegel recently published revelations by the "Football Leaks" platform which suggest that top European clubs have agreed to set up a superleague organised under private law. With regard to the microeconomic effects for the Bundesliga and the other players DFB, DFL e.V. and UEFA, there is a need for research in economic literature - not least because of the topicality of the topic. The present contribution conducts a kind of economic thought experiment by assuming that there will be a superleague in European club football. On the one hand, the expected effects on demand and on the other hand, possible institutional consequences are discussed. The findings of the paper can be used by football officials in their sports political decisions. (link to full text)

Property and tax crimes account for a significant proportion of criminal activity and result in significant economic damage. Two of the most prominent offenders in this area in recent years were Thomas Middelhoff and Uli Hoeneß, both of whom were serving sentences. In the present paper, the media presence of both cases is taken as an opportunity to compare the imprisonment with the fine based on economic theory. It will be argued that the fine is to be preferred from an economic perspective, so that it can be considered useful to use fines as a first-choice punishment in economic and tax-criminal cases. The paper understands itself in this regard as a plea. (link to full text)

Research question: We uncover the influence of performance parameters on market value of football players in German Bundesliga. Hereby, the analyses should in some places reach beyond the current state of research by, for example, using relative operating times or running kilometres in the analysis.

Research methods: To this end, we analysed all players in the season 2015/16 who had at least one significant participation in a game. Because of the unclear functional form of the links of the market value of players to the influencing variables, we carried out the analysis using Boosted Regression Trees in order to be able to map and interpret both different scale levels and nonlinearities.

Results and Findings: We found the highest relative influence in the ranking of TV money from the preseason (>50%) and goals and high pass rate (each >10%). Partial-dependence plots recover the nonlinear influence of variable on the market value of players.

Implications: It seems that the market value depends significantly less on sports performance than assumed. On the one hand, the preselection of the players in the respective clubs causes a clear difference in the market values of the individual players. In addition, the often-assumed linearity for some variables is just as little as the quadratic correlation, which is often assumed for old age, which is why classical OLS estimates cannot be sufficiently argued.  (link to full text)

This paper analyzes the recruitment of executive board members for German sports clubs, an issue of key interest given that volunteers play a dominant role in these sports clubs. Based on a new, micro-level data set, we examine how members of a sports club advance to become executive board members and how board members differ from ordinary members. Based on the results of our study, we examine whether Michels’ “iron law of oligarchy” applies and whether democratic procedures for elections in sports clubs are replaced, even in part, by trust-based oligarchic structures. (link to full text)

Transfermarkt.de’s market value (transfermarkt value) is a topic that is discussed very often in sports economics. Based on existing literature, we assume that the Transfermarkt value is a function of different input parameters, such as player characteristics, player performance, player presentation and team performance. This paper analyzes the relationship between a player’s social media activity and his market value based on transfermarkt.de. Based on a dataset of 600 players from the German Bundesliga, we find that Instagram activity has a significant impact on a player’s market value. On the basis of this result, we discuss several implications for professional football players on the one hand and for clubs on the other. The paper opens up a new dimension of economic research in professional football, namely, the sport economic significance of social media. (link to full text)

The economic model with its homo oeconomicus has been under attack since the last international financial and economic crisis at the latest. Unfortunately the criticism often rests on a false and in parts outdated state of knowledge about the economic method. Homo oeconomicus was and is developable and more realistic than its reputation. Like hardly any other model it can be used to explain human behaviour in all areas of life. This paper seeks to dispel these prejudices and analyses the method "homo oeconomicus" from the point of view of modern economics. (link to full text)

Like every other human being, scientists also have to allocate their scarce resources of time and production according to their personal preferences. Today’s scientific system is domina-ted by different (external) incentives that influence a researcher’s decisions. With respect to the individual research strategy, there seems to be a conflict between scientific rigor and prac-tical relevance. In addition, only certain scientific results actually find their way into the ge-neral public. We assume therefore that the use of virological and economic expertise are two different forms of reception of science by another social sphere. If our assumption is correct, the question arises as to how such rules of reception are formed and stabilized. This question will be investigated in the present paper. With regard to his or her publication strategy, the scientist therefore has to decide interdependently. Based on the economic approach in general, and Gary S. Becker’s theory of time allocation specifically, we develop a simple model to ex-plain scientific decision-making behavior. We derive several implications with regard to a strategy on time allocation in research processes, and thus contribute to a better understanding of scientific decision-making processes. In our paper, we concentrate on the general conditions in (business) economics, but the findings can also be applied to other (human) sciences. In order to be as up-to-date as possible, we take an additional look at the role of science in the current COVID-19 crisis as well. (link to full text)

There is an increasing professionalization in organized sports, especially in the large clubs of the Freiburg Circle. This full-time staff must be compensated. As in large parts of the non-profit economy as a whole, there are hardly any findings on pay structures, pay levels and pay systems. For broad-based sports clubs, there are neither studies on the content-related characteristics of compensation systems, on factors influencing the design, on the effect of compensation systems, nor on changes over time. For the present study, the thesis of Brandl et.al. was used as a starting point: there are three stages from a person-centered to a function-centered to a performance-centered compensation system, with subsequent compensation systems being understood as a direct reaction to existing problems with previous compensation systems. Based on surveys of large sports clubs in 2004, 2008, 2014, and 2018, only very weak evidence was obtained that this model is correct. Compensation systems in large sports clubs exhibit stable structures that can largely be explained by market mechanisms and ideational orientations. In particular, hardly any evidence of performance-based compensation could be found, which is in harmony with the self-image of an NPO. (link to full text)

Scientific reflections of sports clubs are confronted with the problem of finding an appropriate approach to reflect the diversity of sports-related organizations. The purpose of this study is to observe the performance of sports clubs by considering the problems that occur. In order to capture the organizations in a model, the organizational capacity framework is presented. Since previous scientific studies have not resulted in standardized variables, a specific selection of relevant aspects is required. The framework captures the interdependent influence of human, financial, process and infrastructural, network and relationship as well as planning and development resources within the organization. The potential usefulness of the application of the framework is tested on sports clubs in the Rhineland (n = 1,000). The results of the multiple regression show that the organizational capacity framework is suitable to be applied on sports clubs, but requires further research to obtain more meaningful statements. Regarding organizational problems, it is indicated that board members, sufficient finances, strategic planning, and availability and accessibility of facilities are most important to reduce problems. Practical implications are addressed to both sports clubs and umbrella organizations. (link to full text)

2015 erschien die Absolventenstudie „Was kommt nach dem Studium an der Universität des Saarlandes?“ Daran anknüpfend bietet dieses Buch eine detaillierte und wesentlich erweiterte Analyse der Karriereverläufe der Absolvent/innen. Neben Befragungsdaten werden dazu die integrierten Erwerbsbiographien der UdS-Absolvent/innen als eine auf amtlicher Statistik beruhende, sehr verlässliche Datenquelle herangezogen. Die Studie bietet aufbauend auf allgemeinen Überlegungen zum Arbeitsmarkt für Akademiker/innen unter anderem einen Überblick über die Studiengänge in den einzelnen Fakultäten der Universität des Saarlandes, die Einmündungsprozesse der Absolvent/innen in den Arbeitsmarkt, ihre Einkommenssituation und Mobilität im Arbeitsmarkt, letzteres mit einem besonderen Blick auf die Karriereverläufe von der ersten bis zur dritten Erwerbstätigkeit. (link to full text)

Das Problemfeld Doping ist im Diskurs zu sportlichen Ereignissen ebenso präsent, wie die sportlichen Leistungen selbst. Doping als eine Form abweichenden Verhaltens ist somit unmittelbar mit dem Sport verbunden, wird jedoch meistens negativ bewertet und stellt somit im Rahmen des sportlichen Geschehens ein „soziales Problem“ dar. Eine derart populäre Thematik ist nicht davor gefeit, dass sich Meinungen und Vorstellungen verfestigen, denen an vielen Stellen empirische Befunde entgegen stehen oder auch gänzlich fehlen. An dieser Stelle setzt die kumulative Arbeit an, in der fünf „Mythen“ zum Problem- und Geschäftsfeld Doping einer genaueren oder erstmaligen empirischen Prüfung unterzogen werden. Diese Mythen betreffen Argumente für eine Ausweitung der Anti-Doping-Politik bzgl. Strafen und zum Schutz der Athletengesundheit, die Perspektive der Zuschauer und Medien, die Verbindung zwischen Einkommenschancen und Doping ebenso wie die Verbreitung des „Problems“ im Breitensport. Die zugrunde liegenden Studien sind in ein größeres Forschungsnetzwerk eingebettet, in dem interdisziplinär und auf unterschiedlichen Ebenen das Thema beleuchtet wird. Ein Schwerpunkt stellt dabei die sozioökonomischen Perspektive da und hierbei die grundlegenden Annahmen rational handelnder Akteure sowie Kosten-Nutzen-Kalkuationen zur Erreichung eines Optimums. (link to full text)

Universitäten erbringen wohlfahrtsfördernde Leistungen für die Gesellschaft, insbesondere indem sie Studierende ausbilden, über Forschung neues Wissen erzeugen sowie den Wissens- und Technologietransfer in Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft hinein betreiben. Die Erbringung dieser Leistungen wird ermöglicht durch eine größtenteils öffentliche Finanzierung, die nicht nur in Zeiten wirtschaftlicher Krisen und Spargebote gerne hinterfragt wird. Die Politik ist daher ebenso wie die Hochschulen gut beraten, die Mittelzuweisungen immer wieder neu zu legitimieren. Die vorliegende Studie untersucht die sozioökonomischen Effekte der Universität Potsdam und schließt so vorhandene Informationslücken. Die Autoren zeigen, dass auch indirekte und unerwartete Effekte eine große Rolle spielen können, was die Wirkung einer Universität auf Wirtschaft und Wohlstand angeht. (link to full text)

Absolventenstudien haben Konjunktur. Sie beanspruchen, einen wichtigen Beitrag zur Steuerung von Universitäten zu liefern. Dieses Buch setzt sich kritisch mit diesem Anspruch auseinander und bietet einen Überblick über die zentralen Befunde solcher Studien. Es liefert darüber hinaus zum ersten Mal empirische Befunde zu den Absolventen der Universität des Saarlandes und ordnet diese in den bundesweiten Kontext ein. Diese Ergebnisse belegen den Ertrag von Bildungsinvestitionen und deren gesellschaftlichen Nutzen unabhängig von den gewählten Studienfächern. (link to full text)

Universitäten werden von der öffentlichen Hand primär als Kostenfaktor, weniger als zukunftsweisendes Investment betrachtet. Dies begründet sich unter anderem durch fehlende Informationen über die soziale und wirtschaftliche Bedeutung von Universitäten für eine Region. Die vorliegende Studie zur Universität des Saarlandes schließt diese Lücke und rückt die für das Saarland befürchteten Folgen eines weiteren Rückbaus der Universität in den Blickpunkt von Politik und Öffentlichkeit. (link to full text)