66 research outputs found
Disentangling the effects of political fragmentation on voter turnout: the Flemish municipal elections
Political fragmentation has been shown to be an important determinant of electoral turnout. We introduce an empirical approach that allows disentangling the impact of two dimensions of such fragmentation: the number of parties and the size inequalities between those parties. This is important as it allows us to assess the size, significance and direction of the individual effects of each element â an aspect disregarded in previous research. Our empirical analysis of the 2000 Flemish municipal elections shows that a higher number of parties competing in the election lowers turnout. The size-inequalities between the parties exert a positive â though insignificant â influence on voter participation. -- Es hat sich gezeigt, dass politische Zersplitterung ein wichtiger Faktor fĂŒr die Wahlbeteiligung ist. Wir stellen einen empirischen Ansatz vor, der den Einfluss von zwei unterschiedlichen Dimensionen der Zersplitterung herausarbeitet, nĂ€mlich die Anzahl der Parteien und die GröĂenunterschiede zwischen diesen Parteien. Dies ermöglicht, GröĂe, Bedeutung und Richtung der individuellen EinflĂŒsse eines jeden Elements zu beurteilen, was in der Forschung bisher vernachlĂ€ssigt worden ist. Unsere empirische Analyse der flĂ€mischen Kommunalwahlen im Jahr 2000 zeigt: je mehr Parteien zur Wahl antreten, desto geringer ist die Wahlbeteiligung. Die GröĂenunterschiede zwischen den Parteien haben einen positiven, wenn auch nicht signifikanten Einfluss auf die Wahlbeteiligung.Voter turnout,political fragmentation,local elections
Revealed Comparative Advantage and Specialization in Athletics
Using entries in the 2005 IAAF rankings as a measure of a countryâs success in athletics, we analyse intercountry differences in athletic specialisation (measured through an index for revealed symmetric comparative advantage). A Tobit II model identifies macro-economic, sociological and political conditions that shape patterns of specialisation. We observe geographical patterns: African and Carribean (and to a lesser extent Asian) countries have a âtypicalâ pattern of specialisation. Highly populated as well as richer countries diversify more. Larger countries specialise in sprinting and middle distance running while leading to comparative disadvantages in non-running events. Finally, (former) socialist countries have a significant revealed comparative advantage in non-running events and a disadvantage in sprinting.athletics, revealed comparative advantage, specialisation
The impact of central places on spatial spending patterns: evidence from Flemish local government cultural expenditures
Governments often see it as their responsibility to support cultural life and at times spend a significant amount of resources in the pursuit of this goal. The present paper analyses whether and how municipalities influence each other in this decision to spend resources on the arts (using data on local government cultural spending in 304 Flemish municipalities in 2002). Following âcentral place theoryâ, the focal point of the analysis is the idea that â especially for cultural expenditures â large municipalities (and, specifically, âcentral placesâ) may affect their neighboursâ behaviour differently than small municipalities. The empirical analysis is supportive of this idea. Indeed, we show that Flemish municipalitiesâ cultural spending is generally positively affected by that in neighbouring municipalities. This pattern is, however, significantly more complex for municipalities neighbouring the 13 largest Flemish cities. -- Regierungen sehen sich gemeinhin in der Verantwortung, fĂŒr die UnterstĂŒtzung des kulturellen Lebens zu sorgen und wenden hierfĂŒr erhebliche Ressourcen auf. Im vorliegenden Artikel wird analysiert, ob und wie sich Gemeinden gegenseitig bei der Entscheidung fĂŒr Ressourcenaufwendungen im Bereich Kunst und Kultur beeinflussen. Diese Analyse beruht auf Daten ĂŒber Ausgaben im Kulturbereich von 304 flĂ€mischen Gemeinden im Jahr 2002. Der âcentral placeâ-Theorie folgend liegt der Schwerpunkt der Analyse auf der Idee, dass gerade im kulturellen Bereich der Einfluss groĂer Gemeinden (und insbesondere von âzentralen Ortenâ) auf die Entscheidung der Nachbargemeinden ein anderer ist, als der Einfluss kleinerer Gemeinden. Die empirische Analyse stĂŒtzt diesen Ansatz. In der Tat lĂ€sst sich zeigen, dass die Ausgaben im Kulturbereich flĂ€mischer Gemeinden positiv durch die Ausgaben ihrer Nachbargemeinden beeinflusst werden. FĂŒr die Nachbargemeinden der 13 gröĂten flĂ€mischen StĂ€dte ist dieses Muster jedoch erheblich komplexer.Central places,cultural policy,Flemish municipalities,local government expenditures,spatial interdependence,asymmetric response
Disentangling the effects of political fragmentation on voter turnout: the Flemish municipal elections
"Es hat sich gezeigt, dass politische Zersplitterung ein wichtiger Faktor fĂŒr die
Wahlbeteiligung ist. Wir stellen einen empirischen Ansatz vor, der den Einfluss
von zwei unterschiedlichen Dimensionen der Zersplitterung herausarbeitet,
nĂ€mlich die Anzahl der Parteien und die GröĂenunterschiede zwischen diesen
Parteien. Dies ermöglicht, GröĂe, Bedeutung und Richtung der individuellen
EinflĂŒsse eines jeden Elements zu beurteilen, was in der Forschung bisher vernachlĂ€ssigt
worden ist. Unsere empirische Analyse der flÀmischen Kommunalwahlen
im Jahr 2000 zeigt: je mehr Parteien zur Wahl antreten, desto geringer
ist die Wahlbeteiligung. Die GröĂenunterschiede zwischen den Parteien haben
einen positiven, wenn auch nicht signifikanten Einfluss auf die Wahlbeteiligung." (Autorenreferat)"Political fragmentation has been shown to be an important determinant of
electoral turnout. We introduce an empirical approach that allows disentangling
the impact of two dimensions of such fragmentation: the number of parties and
the size inequalities between those parties. This is important as it allows us to
assess the size, significance and direction of the individual effects of each
element â an aspect disregarded in previous research. Our empirical analysis of
the 2000 Flemish municipal elections shows that a higher number of parties
competing in the election lowers turnout. The size-inequalities between the
parties exert a positive â though insignificant â influence on voter participation." (author's abstract
Tax policy and yardstick voting in Flemish municipal elections
Recent theoretical papers develop political agency models in which voters compare tax policy with that in neighbouring jurisdictions. In these yardstick competition models voters judge incumbents by comparing their policy with policy in neighbouring jurisdictions. We analyse municipal elections in Flanders during the period 1982-2000 and find empirical evidence for yardstick voting. Incumbents are punished for higher tax rates. Importantly, the electoral punishment also depends on tax rates in neighbouring municipalities. Higher rates in neighbouring municipalities are favourable for the incumbents
Revealed Comparative Advantage and Specialisation in Athletics
Sport â insbesondere der Hochleistungssport â ist ein Faszinosum, das als Plattform fĂŒr gesellschaftliche Anliegen genutzt wird. Hierauf grĂŒnden die unterschiedlichen Interessen am aktiven und passiven Sport und das staatliche Interesse am Spitzensport. In den meisten LĂ€ndern ist der Spitzensport nationales Anliegen: So bilden Staaten in nationalen Trainingszentren ihre Athleten aus, unterstĂŒtzen ihre SportverbĂ€nde bei internationalen Wettbewerben oder fördern Bewerbungen fĂŒr SportgroĂveranstaltungen.
Die BeitrÀge dieses Bandes geben einen fundierten Einblick in die Organisation des Hochleistungssports und zeigen die unterschiedlichen Wege ausgewÀhlter Staaten auf.Sport - in particular high-performance sport - is a fascination that is used as a platform for societal concerns. This is the base for different interests in active and passive sports and the state\u27s interest in top-class sport. In most countries, top-class sport is a national concern: states train their athletes in national training centres, support their sports associations in international competitions or promote applications for major sporting events.
The articles in this volume provide a well-founded insight into the organisation of high-performance sport and show the different paths of selected countries
Choice in politics: Equivalency framing in economic policy decisions and the influence of expertise
Political decision-making involves the presentation of policy options from opposing points of view and in different lights. We test whether economic policy decisions are subject to equivalency framing by presenting survey participants with binary risky-choice decisions in hypothetical policy scenarios. Potentially mediating influences of expertise on the framing effect are explored using responses of students and professionals. Expertise is thereby defined in line with common education and work experience criteria in the recruitment of public officials. We mostly find unidirectional framing effects in the economic policy scenarios and a similar susceptibility of respondents with different levels of expertise. A logistic regression of the expertise variables on the choice between certain and risky options reveals only the frame to have a systematically significant effect across scenarios. The results indicate that expertise may not necessarily help to make better policy choices under risk, if the available options are framed differently
Choice in politics: Equivalency framing in economic policy decisions and the influence of expertise
Political decision-making involves the presentation of policy options from opposing points of view and in different lights. We test whether economic policy decisions are subject to equivalency framing by presenting survey participants with binary risky-choice decisions in hypothetical policy scenarios. Potentially mediating influences of expertise on the framing effect are explored using responses of students and professionals. Expertise is thereby defined in line with common education and work experience criteria in the recruitment of public officials. We mostly find unidirectional framing effects in the economic policy scenarios and a similar susceptibility of respondents with different levels of expertise. A logistic regression of the expertise variables on the choice between certain and risky options reveals only the frame to have a systematically significant effect across scenarios. The results indicate that expertise may not necessarily help to make better policy choices under risk, if the available options are framed differently
The paradox of measuring success of nations in elite sport
The achievement of international and especially Olympic sporting success is increasingly important to a growing number of countries. It is however not clear how success is defined and can be measured. The number of medals won in Olympics Games and other international sport competitions offers the most self-evident and transparent measure of success in high performance sport. In this article different methods to measure success of nations are compared. Market share was identified as the best measure of absolute success which enables meaningful time series analysis to be conducted. A Linear regression analysis is used to introduce relative success as a measurement of success when controlling for macro determinants such as population and wealth. This method allows comparing nations on more equal grounds, which is necessary if one wants to measure effectiveness of elite sport policies. Similar analysis is done for Olympic Summer and Winter Sports. It is concluded that conflicting results can be given on nationsâ success. Defining success therefore depends on the purpose wherefore it is used and on the priorities of individual nations.Les performances sportives au niveau international, et particuliĂšrement au niveau olympique, prennent de plus en plus dâimportance pour un nombre croissant de nations. Mais il nâest pas Ă©vident de dĂ©finir ni de mesurer le succĂšs. Le nombre de mĂ©dailles gagnĂ©es lors de Jeux olympiques ou autres compĂ©titions internationales reprĂ©sente la mesure la plus objectivable et la plus transparente du succĂšs dans le sport de haut niveau. Dans cet article, nous comparons diffĂ©rentes mĂ©thodes permettant de mesurer ce genre de performances. La part de marchĂ© a Ă©tĂ© identifiĂ©e comme la meilleure mesure de succĂšs absolu permettant de procĂ©der Ă une analyse de sĂ©ries temporelles significative. Une analyse en rĂ©gression linĂ©aire est utilisĂ©e pour prĂ©senter le succĂšs relatif comme mesure du succĂšs lorsquâon maĂźtrise des facteurs macro-dĂ©terminants tels que la population et la richesse. Cette mĂ©thode permet de comparer les diffĂ©rents pays sur des bases plus Ă©gales, ce qui est indispensable si lâon veut mesurer lâefficacitĂ© des politiques en matiĂšre de sport dâĂ©lite. Nous procĂ©dons ensuite Ă une analyse similaire pour les Jeux olympiques dâĂ©tĂ© et dâhiver, avant de conclure que nous parvenons Ă des rĂ©sultats contradictoires quant aux performances des diffĂ©rents pays. En effet, le succĂšs dĂ©pend du but dans lequel on lâutilise ainsi que des prioritĂ©s de chaque nation
AbkĂŒrzungsverzeichnis
Sport â insbesondere der Hochleistungssport â ist ein Faszinosum, das als Plattform fĂŒr gesellschaftliche Anliegen genutzt wird. Hierauf grĂŒnden die unterschiedlichen Interessen am aktiven und passiven Sport und das staatliche Interesse am Spitzensport. In den meisten LĂ€ndern ist der Spitzensport nationales Anliegen: So bilden Staaten in nationalen Trainingszentren ihre Athleten aus, unterstĂŒtzen ihre SportverbĂ€nde bei internationalen Wettbewerben oder fördern Bewerbungen fĂŒr SportgroĂveranstaltungen.
Die BeitrÀge dieses Bandes geben einen fundierten Einblick in die Organisation des Hochleistungssports und zeigen die unterschiedlichen Wege ausgewÀhlter Staaten auf.Sport - in particular high-performance sport - is a fascination that is used as a platform for societal concerns. This is the base for different interests in active and passive sports and the state\u27s interest in top-class sport. In most countries, top-class sport is a national concern: states train their athletes in national training centres, support their sports associations in international competitions or promote applications for major sporting events.
The articles in this volume provide a well-founded insight into the organisation of high-performance sport and show the different paths of selected countries
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