Open Access
The correlates of physical activity among the population aged 50-70 years
(Federación Española de Docentes de Educación Física, 2017) Lera López, Fernando; Garrués Irisarri, Mirian; Suárez Fernández, María José; Economía; Ekonomia
Background: Physical activity is of particular interest due to its potential for improving quality of life and reducing health care costs. The contribution of this paper is to analyse the correlates of physical activity (PA) among individuals aged 50-70 years old. We differentiate between physical activity during leisure time (LTPA) and total physical activity (Total PA) and besides we offer potential policy advice to increase PA. Methods: We use a cross-sectional survey from a sample of Spanish individuals between 50 and 70 years of age. We analyse the correlates of LTPA and Total PA by estimating ordered probit models including socio-demographic characteristics, health and emotional wellbeing and social support. Results: The covariates explain in different ways LTPA and Total PA levels. In particular, the accomplishment of a minimum of LTPA is positively related to partner participation in LTPA (p<0.01), a good life satisfaction (p<0.01), being male (p<0.01) and secondary education completion (p<0.02); and it is negatively related to working status (p<0.01). On the contrary, very high levels of total PA are positively associated with partner participation(p<0.01), self-perceived health (p<0.01), women (p<0.01) and working status (p<0.05). Conclusions: It is important to increase male energy expenditure in other life domains besides leisure time. Regarding women, social support seems necessary to reach minimum levels of LTPA. Finally, the socialisation effect that we have obtained as well as the positive impact of the extrinsic social support variables might suggest the necessity to take intoaccount couple and family variables.
Open Access
Are football managers as efficient as coaches? Performance analysis with ex ante and ex post inputs in the Premier league
(Routledge, 2019) Zambom Ferraresi, Fabíola; Iraizoz Apezteguia, Belén; Lera López, Fernando; Ekonomia; Institute for Advanced Research in Business and Economics - INARBE; Economía; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
There is a controversy on sport performance literature about what type of inputs might explain more deeply the performance of sports clubs (inputs specification controversy). By one side, several papers have analysed sports teams' performance using the match-related statistics or wages as inputs, well-known as ex post inputs. By other side, some authors have criticized the use of these ex post inputs, and recommend the use of ex ante inputs, as the market value of the players. We have analysed the performance of football teams estimating technical efficiency with three different inputs specification. The methodologies employed were data envelopment analysis (DEA) and a bootstrapped DEA. Our sample is composed by English Premier League football clubs, during three seasons (2012/13-2014/15). The DEA results indicate that the correlation between the three models is positive and significant. The DEA-bootstrapped results help to restate the robustness of the estimations and endorsed the inputs choices. The correlations of the estimations with market value and match-related statistics are the most striking (90% and 94%, DEA and bootstrapped DEA), which indicate that the existent discussion related to the use of match-related statistics as input is unjustified, because it does not affect significantly the efficiency estimations.
Open Access
Situación actual y prospectiva de futuro del sector de las energías renovables en Navarra
(Gobierno de Navarra, Departamento de Economía y Hacienda, 2003) Pintor Borobia, Jesús María; García Ortega, Justo; Faulín Fajardo, Javier; Lera López, Fernando; Ingeniería Mecánica, Energética y de Materiales; Estadística e Investigación Operativa; Economía; Mekanika, Energetika eta Materialen Ingeniaritza; Estatistika eta Ikerketa Operatiboa; Ekonomia
Razones económicas y medioambientales han hecho que la búsqueda de nuevas formas de energía se haya intensificado en los últimos años, desarrollándose distintos tipos de energías renovables. En el caso de la Unión Europea, se ha realizado una apuesta por este tipo de energías, produciéndose una especialización por países. La Comunidad Foral de Navarra es un claro ejemplo de esta sensibilidad, que le ha llevado a convertirse en un modelo de desarrollo. El presente trabajo recoge la situación actual de las energías renovables en la región, analizándolas desde el punto de vista de las empresas que realizan su actividad en este ámbito. Para ello, se ha determinado el conjunto de empresas que constituyen en Navarra el sector de las energías renovables, para a continuación proceder a analizarlo mediante una investigación de mercados. De este modo, se ha puesto de manifiesto las interrelaciones entre una política energética regional y la creación y desarrollo de un sector empresarial dinámico, competitivo y en crecimiento. El trabajo ofrece también una prospectiva de la situación para el período 2002-2005, contrastando los resultados obtenidos con distintos estudios nacionales y europeos.
Open Access
Comparing competitive balance for men's and women's leagues in European handball
(Routledge, 2024-08-09) Ayúcar Sánchez, Amaia; Lera López, Fernando; Iraizoz Apezteguia, Belén; Economía; Ekonomia; Institute for Advanced Research in Business and Economics - INARBE
Research question: this paper contributes to research concerned with gender comparison in sport, considering handball, traditionally overlooked in studies of competitive balance. Research methods: we estimate measures of concentration and dominance to analyse the competitive balance in eight European handball leagues (both female and male) in four European countries (Denmark, France, Germany and Spain) during 15 seasons. Results and Findings: the results show statistically significant differences between the female and the male handball leagues. With the exception of France, the level of concentration is higher in the female than in the male leagues. In terms of dominance, there is less difference between the genders. In terms of evolution, the indicators reflect a deterioration of the competitive balance mainly in the female leagues. Implications: the analyses suggest that different measures should be put in place to increase the competitive balance in female leagues, through the transfer of resources from the male to the female leagues. To reduce the high level of dominance, a redistribution of resources among the teams should be considered to reduce the 'drag effect'. Research contribution: this is the first time that the most important European handball leagues have been examined to test the gender gap in competitive balance, with statistically significant differences being found.
Open Access
La "brecha digital": un reto para el desarrollo de la sociedad del conocimiento
(Universidad de Huelva, Servicio de Publicaciones, 2003) Lera López, Fernando; Hernández Nanclares, Nuria; Blanco Vaca, Cristina; Economía; Ekonomia
El desarrollo de las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC) dentro de la economía del conocimiento está generando importantes transformaciones en la economía actual y nuevas expectativas de desarrollo. Sin embargo, la oportunidad que las TIC ofrecen al crecimiento económico no parece materializarse para los países menos desarrollados, generando lo que se ha denominado brecha digital. El presente artículo trata de cuantificar el fenómeno en base a una clasificación de indicadores, determinando posibles variables explicativas. A partir de una serie de iniciativas internacionales (DOT Force, eEuropa, ONU…), el artículo finaliza con una serie de medidas a desarrollar para eliminar la brecha digital y para constituir una sociedad del conocimiento a nivel mundial. Palabras clave: brecha digital, tecnologías de la información y la comunicación, sociedad de la información, economía digital.
Open Access
Valuing the contribution of sport volunteering to subjective wellbeing: evidence from eight European countries
(Frontiers Media, 2024) Kokolakakis, Themis; Schoemaker, Jelle; Lera López, Fernando; Boer, Willem de; Čingienė, Vilma; Papić, Alma; Ahlert, Gerd; Economía; Ekonomia
Introduction: Volunteering is a prominent and integral aspect of the activities undertaken by sports clubs in Europe. However, even with its growing importance, quantifying the monetary worth of this nonmarket activity, in terms of wellbeing, can present certain difficulties. Traditional approaches to valuing volunteering (i.e., replacement and opportunity cost approaches) do not fully capture the value of volunteering to individuals, as they do not consider the intangible benefits that individuals may derive from their participation. Methods: This research provides added value to the monetisation of volunteering in sport by applying the wellbeing valuation approach (WVA) for the first time to a cross-sectional data in eight European countries. A double instrumental variable approach was developed to correct for unobservable variables that may influence the pairs: income and subjective wellbeing (SWB), and volunteering and SWB. This allows to estimate the causal impact of volunteering and income on SWB more accurately and assign a reasonable monetary value to this non-market activity. Results: The results, based on a sample size of 1,091, show an income compensation for a volunteer, devoting on average 8.7 hours during a four-week period of €16 to €50 per hour, equivalent to between € 1,700 and € 5,200 per year, depending on the nationality of the volunteer. Discussion: With these estimations insights into the value of volunteering in sports are provided, contributing to a better understanding of how this activity can be valued and supported. By recognising and accurately valuing the contributions of volunteers, sport organizations and policymakers can develop more effective strategies for promoting and supporting volunteering in sports.
Open Access
Sport promotion through sport mega-events. An analysis for types of olympic sports in London 2012
(MDPI, 2020) Kokolakakis, Themis; Lera López, Fernando; Institute for Advanced Research in Business and Economics - INARBE
A substantial amount of attention has been devoted towards the potential sport legacy of the Olympic Games. In spite of the increasing academic interest in this topic, there is a knowledge gap as far as sport legacy is concerned by types of different sports. The authors bridge this gap by analysing the evolution of 43 different Olympic/Paralympic sport modalities in the two-year period after the London 2012 Olympics. By using data from the Active People Survey with a sample of 165,000 people annually, and considering some demographic variables and the effect of the economic environment, the paper aims to test the existence of a sport legacy. We have applied time series analysis and ARIMA models for controlling for economic influence and seasonal adjustment and for making comparisons among participation rates. The results show, for the total of the sports analysed, that there were 336,000 individuals who increased their frequency of participation, while there was no significant increase in the number of new participants in these sports. When we develop the analysis for types of sports, London 2012 is positively associated not only with the frequency of participation in some types of sport but also with an increase in the number of new sport participants. Gender and age differences are also detected. The results show the differences of sport legacy by type of sports. Moreover, this research has elucidated an important unrecognised aspect of the effect of the Olympic Games and perhaps major events: that they can become a major policy tool for reversing sporting inequalities.
Open Access
Physical activity disparities across Europe: clustering European regions by health-related physical activity levels
(Oxford University Press, 2022) Lera López, Fernando; Marco, Rocío; Economía; Ekonomia
In the context of stagnating global levels of physical activity (PA), this study examines the geographical segmentation of PA at the regional level (196 regions) in Europe. Cluster analysis and multinomial logistic regression are applied. Cluster analysis provides a taxonomy of four differentiated groups according to the health-related PA levels of the European regions. This taxonomy shows that there are significant regional disparities among European countries in terms of the regional PA level. The cluster profiles in terms of regional socioeconomic characteristics are described for each group, emphasizing the regional characteristics associated with PA. Regional economic variables, tertiary education and social Internet use are significant variables for characterizing the types of regions. The results emphasize the relevance of a European regional approach for reducing inter-regional PA disparities and improving health through PA in Europe. Practical implications of this research are based on regional European coordination, such as collaborative models of sport infrastructure use, co-financing of inter-regional facilities, mutual physical educational scholar programs and promotion of common inter-regional sport competitions and sporting events. Finally, formal schemes for exchanging of best regional practices to promote health-enhancing PA might increase the perception and the role of PA at the regional level in the European society.
Open Access
How the relationship between physical activity and health changes with age
(Springer, 2018-03-28) Lera López, Fernando; Ollo López, Andrea; Garrués Irisarri, Mirian; Cabasés Hita, Juan Manuel; Sánchez Iriso, Eduardo; Economía; Ekonomia; Gestión de Empresas; Enpresen Kudeaketa
In the context of age-related declines in physical activity (PA) and the dramatic increase in ageing populations in many countries, this paper sheds further light on the link between PA and self-perceived health (SPH) by examining whether the magnitude of this relationship is age specific. With a sample of 14,456 Spanish individuals aged 18–69, we estimated three levels of intensity in PA using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Individuals who did more PA per week showed higher levels of SPH (β = 0.28; 95% CI 0.24–0.32), and age moderated this relationship, with a positive effect over age 49. People aged 50–59 and 60–69 who practiced PA had higher probabilities of better SPH compared with those aged 40–49 (β = 0.14; 95% CI 0.04–0.24) and (β = 0.32; 95% CI 0.21–0.43), respectively. This association between PA and SPH also depended on the intensity of PA, especially for walking (β = 0.14; 95% CI 0.04–0.24). In particular, in comparison with people age 40–49, a statistically significant relationship with SPH was found among people age 50–59 who walked (β = 0.22; 95% CI 0.07–0.36) and people age 60–69 who did moderate PA (β = 0.38; 95% CI 0.23–0.54). This paper provides a major rationale for the design, organisation and implementation of public policies promoting PA and healthy ageing for different age groups.
Open Access
Differences in formal and informal sports participation at regional level in England
(Routledge, 2017) Kokolakakis, Themis; Castellanos García, Pablo; Lera López, Fernando; Economía; Ekonomia
The aim of the article is to provide a regional approach to analyse sports participation in two different contexts: organised/formal versus non-organised/informal participation, using Sport England’s Active People Survey national data set. We have estimated two models: first, a general model to explain differences in regional informal and formal participation rates; second, an econometric model dealing with formal participation at a regular frequency. The results emphasise the different roles played by some correlates depending on the context of sports participation under study. Only economic and cultural variables seem to have a general influence throughout all the sports participation contexts. The results reinforce the role played by sport supply and sport funding in some sports participation levels, offering interesting implications for sport policy. The urban environment, for example, appears to be positively related to the transition from informal to formal sport participation. The distinct analyses of the sports participation contexts provide the opportunity to evaluate ways of boosting participation as well as to suggest some interesting policy implications towards this aim. For example, sporting infrastructure is only influential for the transition from non-participation to formal participation, implying that in general the key question about sport funding and supply is not the amount of funds but rather the direction and aims of sport policy. Finally, the article offers some explanations about the gender inequality detected in some forms of sports participation.