Mark Baimbridge

Satellite broadcasting and match attendance: the case of rugby league

A recent development in the UK television industry has been the emergence of satellite and cable broadcasting. We examine the entrance of the BSkyB satellite network into the coverage of the first division of the rugby football league over the 1993-94 season. This paper extends the familiar model of sport attendance to incorporate the live television transmission of games which is found to exert a negative influence on attendance. Our result suggests considerable scope for future research in this neglected aspect of the factors affecting sport attendance.

MULTIPLE JOB HOLDING IN THE UNITED KINGDOM: EVIDENCE FROM THE BRITISH HOUSEHOLD PANEL SURVEY

This article examines the determinants of multiple job holding in the UK. We address these issues using data from the first 11 waves of the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS), which covered the period from 1991 to 2001. Evidence from the BHPS does not support the hypotheses of main job hours constrained and main job insecurity. We argue that the incentive for moonlighting in the UK is due to financial pressures and the desire for heterogeneous jobs. The empirical work is carried out separately for men and women.

The maastricht treaty: Exacerbating racism in Europe?

Abstract Ethnic discrimination is widespread in the European Community [EC] and is particularly practised against visible minorities. It operates at national borders and with member states and ranges from racist immigration legislation, through institutionalized discrimination, to physical assaults and murders. The completion of the single internal market in January 1993 stressed financial and trade factors at the expense of human rights. This encouraged the development of policies that impact adversely on people of ethnic minority status, particularly those who are black, whether EC citizens or third‐country nationals. The Maastricht Treaty of December 1991 on economic and monetary union [EMU] establishes deflation as a continent‐wide project. This will result in diminished growth and high unemployment, as well as in significant cuts in social welfare provision. Under the terms of the Maastricht Treaty, individual member states are probibited from implementing policies that could counter the adverse effe...

Match attendance at Euro 96: was the crowd waving or drowning?

This paper examines, for the first time, match attendance for football within the context of an international tournament, the European Championship staged in England in 1996. It develops the familiar demand function of economic, demographic, spatial, uncertainty of outcome determinants and exogenous match-specific factors with respect to an international championship rather than a domestic league situation. Significant determinants include match quality and sequence, distance between each participant and the host country, probability of tournament success, derby games, indigenous support together with the presence of either home team in a match. Given the importance of such international competitions for the financial probity and as showcases for the professional sport, the analysis of their key constituent features is important in maintaining their viability.

Rewards to academia: the remuneration of vice chancellors and principals

This paper models the financial remuneration to vice chancellors and principals at UK higher education institutions. After describing the alternative theoretical underpinnings for the determination of pay, an earnings function is estimated utilizing institutional and personal characteristics. The model suggests only a partial linkage of managerial and performance-related indicators to remuneration levels. This suggests substantial scope for reorientation of rewards towards such indicators rather than relying on an efficiency wage. This would appear particularly appropriate given the present and continued disclosure of this information, together with the increased focus on performance indicators relating to teaching and research within the UK higher education sector.

Exports, imports and economic growth in South Korea and Japan: a tale of two economies

This article investigates the relationship between exports, imports and economic growth for South Korea and Japan by constructing a Vector Autoregression (VAR) model. Causality is examined between real Gross Domestic Product (GDP), real exports and real imports. Several principal results emerge from the empirical work. First, the three variables are cointegrated for both countries, implying that a long run steady state exists. Second, there is evidence of bidirectional causality between imports and economic growth for both countries. Finally, Japan seems to experience export-led growth, while GDP growth in South Korea has a negative effect on export growth. These contrasting findings could result from export goods in Japan exhibiting greater nonprice competitive aspects, although their success fails to trigger a virtuous circle since growth fails to lead to increased exports, while for South Korea, output growth leads to a decrease in export growth suggesting a strong domestic market.

Movie admissions and rental income: the case of James Bond.

This paper addresses the issue of optimal movie design with respect to a single series of feature films, the James Bond movies. This is in contrast to previous studies where analysis has been primarily confined to samples of record box office earning movies. With respect to US admissions and rental income four separate models are estimated examining economic factors, the Bond actors, film quality and intertemporal indicators. Findings indicate non-monotonic relationship with respect to price and an inverse one with respect to total movie attendance. A positive influence is recorded by the first three Bond actors although audience loyalty declines after four appearances and a debutante brings significant additional returns. Quality is also an important component with the attainment or nomination of Academy Awards being particularly lucrative. The relative success of the series is, however, on a declining trajectory.

Factors Influencing Overseas Demand for UK Higher Education Institutions

Abstract This paper examines the market share of overseas applications to UK universities for the unified higher education (HE) sector. The analysis seeks to inform institutional management in relation to those factors which influence prospective overseas students applications to a particular institution. Following the specification of the hypothesized explanatory factors, a demand function is estimated for European Union and other overseas applicants. The main findings include a rejection of the THES league tables together with a partial reduction in the market share for some categories ‘old’ relative to ‘new’ universities, while the size of institution exerts a positive influence. Of the geographical factors analysed the proximity of a university to Intercity rail routes, high accommodation costs and coastal locations all act to raise market share, however, being sited in London appears to depress demand.

The return of the binary divide ? Evidence from the 1992 RAE

Abstract This paper examines the outcome of the 1989‐1992 Universities Funding Council research selectivity exercise in light of the abolition of the binary divide in the United Kingdom further and higher educational system. A clear difference is revealed in the relative performance, measured by rating point, of institutions in the two former sectors that participated in the assessment. A descriptive statistical analysis identifies differences in the number of units (departments) assessed and in particular the percentage of staff submitted. With respect to these findings, which are consistent with previous studies, the difficulties encountered by the new entrants to research selectivity are examined. A series of proposals with respect to the entire further and higher education sector and, in particular, concerning the new entrants to such selectivity exercises are then proposed. Without examination of the relative performance acrosss the further and higher education system, of which this paper examines on...

Publication performance in the Economic Journal and UFC research rankings

Our paper offers a partial analysis of the recent University Funding Council assesment exercise across higher education institutions. That exercise was based to a considerable extent upon a subjective evaluation of the ‘quality’ of the research submitted by each institution. Taking the Economic Journalas a proxy for a ‘quality’ outlet, we examine its performance in relation to the ratings obtained by United Kingdom universities. Using a variety of statistical tests, we conclude that an institutions/departmenapos;s publishing record in the Economic Journalcorresponds closely to the rating it received from the Universities Funding Council.