Evaluación de un centro deportivo desde el punto de vista del cliente y del ciudadano: Calidad e impacto social

Actualmente vivimos en una sociedad con poco tiempo destinado al ocio y tiempo libre, por ello las instalaciones deportivas se han convertido en un espacio para ello, donde se ofertan cantidad de programas para poder satisfacer a todos los perfiles de usuarios. Este trabajo trata de analizar, dentro de la literatura de la gestión del deporte, el impacto social que puede tener una instalación deportiva dentro de una población y la calidad percibida de los mismos usuarios. Dentro de la literatura, no se encuentran trabajos que analicen el impacto social que puede tener una instalación deportiva dentro de una población, mediante las percepciones de los mismos residentes. Por ello se ha querido realizar esta investigación para poder ver dichas percepciones y poder introducir en la literatura dichos resultados. Para poder comparar y analizar los resultados, se han observado trabajos orientados al impacto social de eventos deportivos. Así mismo, este trabajo también trata de conocer la calidad percibida de los usuarios junto con otras variables de gestión, mediante diversas escalas. Este instrumento de medida orientado a los usuarios, también incluye dos escalas que miden las emociones y el bienestar subjetivo de los mismos. La muestra fue recogida a 406 residentes de una población cercana de Valencia, y a 406 usuarios del centro deportivo. Cuyos objetivos era conocer las percepciones de los usuarios acerca de las variables de gestión del centro deportivo y la influencia en los mismos, y poder validar y desarrollar la escala elaborada para poder medir el impacto social y así mismo conocer las percepciones de los residentes acerca de la instalación deportiva. Para poder analizar las percepciones tanto de usuarios como residentes se utilizaron diferentes técnicas: Análisis factoriales, análisis de fiabilidad, análisis diferencial, análisis descriptivos de variables, análisis de regresión lineal múltiple, pruebas de correlación de Pearson. En la escala de calidad percibida del servicio, el modelo presenta buenos ajustes , así como presenta buena fiabilidad y validez. Por otro lado, la escala que mide las percepciones de los residentes del municipio también presenta buenos índices de fiabilidad y validez. En ambas escalas se muestran los resultados, de los descriptivos, las diferencias de medías y las regresiones lineales de las mismas. En comparación con otros trabajos que miden las mismas variables, los resultados nos muestran cierta similitud con dichas investigaciones. En cuanto a los usuarios de la instalación deportiva los resultados nos muestran que la calidad de servicio es percibida con los valores más altos por los usuarios con estudios hasta primarios y secundarios, mujeres, aquellos que acuden a actividades dirigidas y los mayores de 50 años. Por lo que refiere a los resultados de las percepciones de los residentes del municipio, se observa en los resultados que el impacto social es valorada con las medias más altas por los residentes con estudios hasta primarios, mujeres y mayores de 50 años. Por ello esta investigación trata de aportar a la literatura existente de la gestión del deporte, resultados y valoraciones que sirvan para futuros trabajos, y así mismo iniciar un camino en las investigaciones de los impactos sociales de las instalaciones deportivas

Influence of Sports Participation on the Behaviors of Customersof Sports Services: Linear and Qualitative Comparative Analysis Models

ports services have become an important enclave for our society. Due to its completesports offer, customers can perform physical activity that helps them to improve their health and well-being. In fitness centers, managers try to know what their customers are looking for in order to create more personalized experiences, as well as to improve their health. This study seeks to understand the influence that sports frequency has on the future behavior of users of a sports center, using two complementary methodologies. A sample of 383 users of a private sports center was used. The two complementary methodologies used were linear models and comparative qualitative analysis, based on the combination of sets. The results show how sports frequency influences the process of creating users’ future behaviors. Considering that none of the variables are necessary, it is observed that perceived value has a significant influence on users’ future behaviors. The use of two complementary methodologies provides a more complete understanding, which helps sports managers to plan and manage effectively to ensure user satisfaction and loyalty. In addition, facilities can incentivize customers through loyalty programs and promotions to maintain their engagement,as well as healthy styles to encourage service recommendations.Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deport

A new neural network technique for the design of multilayered microwave shielded bandpass filters

In this work, we propose a novel technique based on neural networks, for the design of microwave filters in shielded printed technology. The technique uses radial basis function neural networks to represent the non linear relations between the quality factors and coupling coefficients, with the geometrical dimensions of the resonators. The radial basis function neural networks are employed for the first time in the design task of shielded printed filters, and permit a fast and precise operation with only a limited set of training data. Thanks to a new cascade configuration, a set of two neural networks provide the dimensions of the complete filter in a fast and accurate way. To improve the calculation of the geometrical dimensions, the neural networks can take as inputs both electrical parameters and physical dimensions computed by other neural networks. The neural network technique is combined with gradient based optimization methods to further improve the response of the filters. Results are presented to demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed technique for the design of practical microwave printed coupled line and hairpin filters

Efficient integral equation formulation for inductive waveguide components with posts touching the waveguide walls

In this paper a surface integral equation technique is employed for the analysis of inductive waveguide problems containing metallic or dielectric objects of arbitrary shape, focusing on the case where these objects are connected to the waveguide walls. Using the extinction theorem, the main problem is split into two problems. In the first one the parallel plate waveguide Green’s functions are used. Because of the choice of these functions, the side of the object touching the waveguide wall is not considered for discretization in a method of moments analysis. The second problem is applied inside the dielectric object, and uses the free space Green’s functions. It is shown that an additional spatial image is needed to impose the proper boundary conditions for the fields on the side touching the waveguide wall in the original problem. Results show the importance of including this additional image in the formulation for the correct behavior of the fields. With the proposed technique, the paper explores some alternatives for designing specific filter responses using dielectric posts inside cavity filters. Comparisons with a commercial finite elements tool demonstrate the accuracy of the proposed integral equation formulation.This work has been developed with support from the Spanish National Project (CICYT) with Ref TEC2004-04313-C02-02/TCM, and the Regional Seneca Project with Ref 02972/PI/05

Numerical evaluation of the Green's functions for arbitrarily shaped cylindrical enclosures and their optimization by a new spatial images method

IIn this paper, a spatial image technique is used to efficiently calculate the mixed potential Green’s functions associated with electric sources, when they are placed inside arbitrarily shaped cylindrical cavities. The technique is based on placing electric dipole images and charges outside the cavity region. Their strength and orientation are thencalculated by imposing the appropriate boundary conditions for the fields at discrete points on the metallic wall. A method for the assessment of the potentials accuracy is proposed, and several optimization techniques are presented. Three cavities are analyzed to demonstrate the usefulness of the techniques. The cutoff frequencies and potentials patterns are compared to those obtained by a standard finite elements technique, showing excellent agreement. Finally, a band-pass filter based on coupled lines is analyzed, demonstrating the practical value of the technique.This work has been developed with support from the Spanish National Project (CICYT) with reference TEC2004-04313-C02-02/TCM, and the Regional Seneca Project with reference 02972/PI/0

Technical Note: Design of a large variable temperature chamber for heat stress studies in rabbits

[EN] One of the major constraint factors for rabbit production consists of the environmental conditions and especially high temperatures that negatively affect reproduction and growth performance. For this reason, several studies have addressed the effects of heat stress and possible solutions to alleviate its impact on rabbit performance. This article describes the design and operating features of a large temperature chamber (13x4.7x3.1 m) configured to house 42 rabbits. The probes consisted of temperature sensor model DS2438 and humidity sensor model HIH-5031. The system was controlled by an Arduino platform programmed by its Integrated Development Environment (IDE) software. The system takes a decision every minute: it connects the heating if the temperature is lower than programmed and connects exhaust fans if the temperature is over the programmed setting. To renew the indoor air, every 5 min the system switches off the heating and switches on the exhaust fans for 15 sec. Two experiments (with and without animals) were carried out to test the temperature control accuracy. Firstly, without animals, two tests were performed: (i) adjusting the temperature of the climatic chamber to the control house temperature plus 10ºC and (ii) based on daily minimum (32ºC) and maximum (37ºC) temperatures. Secondly, with animals, does were maintained (i) between a daily minimum (32ºC) and maximum (37ºC) for 48 h and (ii) between a daily minimum (25ºC) and maximum (35ºC) temperatures for 105 d. Mortality rates were noted in both tests. The results of comparing the measured temperature deviation from programmed temperature reported a coefficient of determination of 0.9850 and 0.9947, for plus 10ºC and 32-37ºC curves, respectively. In the animal tests, the determination coefficients were 0.9926 and 0.9928 for programmed curve in the range of 32 to 37ºC and 0.9859, 0.9900 and 0.9901 for programmed curve in the range of 25 to 35ºC. Survival of females in the temperature chamber was as expected for reproductive rabbit does: 100 and 82% in the 2 and 105 d trials, respectively. Results indicate that the chamber provided precise temperature control for the development of heat stress studies in rabbits.This work was supported by the Spanish Research Project (CICYT AGL2008-03274) and the Spanish "Ministry of Science and Innovation" HAR2010-21944-C02-01 and HAR2010-21944-C02-02.García Diego, FJ.; Pascual Amorós, JJ.; Marco Jiménez, F. (2011). Technical Note: Design of a large variable temperature chamber for heat stress studies in rabbits. World Rabbit Science. 19(4). https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2011.938SWORD19

Models of Sports Management in Fitness Centres. Influence of Sex, Age and Sport Frequency. Linear Models vs. Qualitative Comparative Analysis

Knowing the perceptions of users of sports services has always been an object of analysis within sports management. This paper attempts to analyse what influences the satisfaction and future intentions of fitness centre customers, beyond management variables, by using two different methodologies. A sample of 389 users of a private sports centre was used. Both linear relationships between variables and the combination of sets were analysed using fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis fsQCA. It is concluded that management variables (service quality, satisfaction and perceived value) are very important for the prediction of management models, but that, according to the interaction methodology between variables, both frequency and sociodemographic variables play an important role in achieving satisfied and loyal users of the sports service. For the prediction of customers’ future intentions, within the analysed sets, it is observed that satisfaction and perceived value are the most predictive variables (raw coverage 0.66). Therefore, and as a consequence, a high number of satisfied and loyal users of the service will allow the economic viability of this service to be achieved.Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deport

Predictive variables of happiness in private sports centres

The psychological investigation of happiness has increased significantly in recent decades to the point of becoming one of the most researched behaviours in the new field of Positive Psychology. However, relatively little progress has been made in happiness research and tests to evaluate happiness, and the Oxford Happiness Inventory (OHI), built by Argyle, Martin and Crossland (1989), is among the best-known and most accredited. Happiness has represented a challenging and frustrating quest for humanity, as there is no consensus on its definition. Bearing in mind that there are many ambiguous factors that can affect the happiness of the individual, this study focuses on analysing the variables of general satisfaction, future intentions and emotions of the users of a private sports centre to evaluate their relationships and their influences on happiness, with the goal of being able to predict their behaviour and help sports managers to develop appropriate marketing plans to improve the supply and meet user demand. For this, a sample of 202 users of a private sports centre (104 men and 98 women) was used, and a multiple linear regression was performed where the dependent variable was happiness and the independent variables were satisfaction, future intentions and emotions. The results showed that the emotions of pleasure and satisfaction are management variables that have a significant influence on the happiness of the user. These findings demonstrate that it is beneficial to know the management variables that can predict the happiness of sports centre users to enhance the user's wellness experience

Knowledge extraction from raw data in water networks: application to the Barcelona supramunicipal water transport network

Critical Infrastructure Systems (CIS) such as the case of potable water transport network are complex large-scale systems, geographically distributed and decentralized with a hierarchical structure, requiring highly sophisticated supervisory and real-time control (RTC) schemes to ensure high performance achievement and maintenance when conditions are non-favorable due to e.g. sensor malfunctions (drifts, offsets, problems of batteries, communications problems,...). Once the data are reliable, a process to transform these validated data into useful information and knowledge is key for the operating plan in real time (RTC). And moreover, but no less important, it allows extracting useful knowledge about the assets and instrumentation (sectors of pipes and reservoirs, flowmeters, level sensors, ...) of the network for short, medium and large term management plans. In this work, an overall analysis of the results of the application of a methodology for sensor data validation/reconstruction to the ATLL water network in the city of Barcelona and the surrounding metropolitan area since 2008 until 2013 is described. This methodology is very important for assessing the economic and hydraulic efficiency of the network.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Intenciones futuras de participar en un pequeño evento deportivo sostenible: influencia de la motivación, afición y satisfacción de los participantes en carreras solidarias

Small-scale sustainable sporting events have limited impact on the community, but there can be great benefits from holding them. For this reason, the celebration of this type of event has increased in recent years, on multiple occasions with solidarity purposes. However, few studies have been found which analyze the assessments of the participants. Therefore, it is the objective of this study to analyze the evaluations in reference to the motivation to participate, the liking for the sport practice and their satisfaction with the celebration of the event with respect to the future intentions of participation in this one. The results indicate that satisfaction with the event is the main variable that predicts future intentions of participating in this type of event. The aim is to provide information to the organizers of this type of event in order to improve organizational aspects that promote sustainability.La celebración de eventos deportivos sostenibles de pequeña escala presenta un impacto limitado en la comunidad, pero a su vez, su celebración puede ocasionar grandes beneficios. Es por ello que la celebración de este tipo de eventos se ha incrementado en los últimos años, en múltiples ocasiones con fines solidarios. Sin embargo, son escasos los estudios encontrados que analizan las valoraciones de los participantes. Por lo tanto, es el objetivo de este estudio analizar las valoraciones en referencias a la motivación por participar, la afición por la práctica deportiva y su satisfacción con la celebración del evento respecto a las intenciones futuras de participación en este. Los resultados señalan que la satisfacción con el evento es la principal variable que predice las intenciones futuras de participar en este tipo de eventos. Con ello se pretende aportar información a los organizadores de este tipo de eventos para mejorar aspectos organizativos que potencien la sostenibilidad.Actividad Física y Deport