The McKinsey Global Institute Productivity Studies: Lessons for Canada

The McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) is a think tank based in Washington, D.C. founded in 1990 with the objective of analyzing international productivity levels from both economic and management perspectives. MGI uses microeconomic analysis on a sector-by-sector level to study the effects that industry decisions ultimately have on national productivity. For the most part the productivity drivers identified by MGI can be grouped into three broad areas: competitive factors (concentration, trade protection, deregulation, minimum wages, work rules, and zoning laws); managerial factors (best practice, human capital, capital intensity, and information technology); and demand factors (average income, cyclical factors, and consumer preferences). This paper examines these factors in an attempt to shed light on the causes of Canada-U.S. productivity differences at the industry level. Competitive factors may explain the poor productivity performance of the Canadian financial and cultural service industries relative to their U.S. counterparts, and likewise may explain the high productivity levels of some natural resource industries in Canada relative to the United States. Managerial factors, especially the implementation of new technologies and related processes, may be important in explaining the poor productivity growth in Canada relative to the United States in service industries such as retail trade. Given the similarities between Canada and the United States, the findings of the MGI studies cannot be indiscriminately applied to Canada-U.S. productivity differences at the industry level. However, the MGI studies do put forward a number of useful working hypotheses for analyzing these differences.Productivity, Productivity Growth, Industry, Industry Studies, McKinsey Global Institute, MGI, Concentration, Competition, Retail Trade, Wal-Mart, Regulation, Banking, Airlines, Best Practice, Deregulation

A framework of sport managers’ ethical decision making

Professional sports teams often experience significant public visibility through the media and general fan interest. This unique characteristic increases the perceived accountability of sport managers, whose decisions are subject to scrutiny both within and outside the organization. In this article, a multistage framework of the highly visible sport manager’s ethical decision-making process (EDMP) is proposed based on the internal, external, and personal influences experienced by sport managers. Following a literature review and a summary of the EDMP framework and its research propositions, the practical implications of this framework are discussed

Building sport’s green houses: Issues in sustainable facility management

This chapter discusses the current trends in sustainable sport facility design, with a focus on sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation in design and operations. The chapter explores the integration of pro-environmental design in the planning, construction, operation, and maintenance of sport facilities. The environmental, economic, and social benefits of sustainable design represent compelling reasons to engage in pro-environmental behavior. Owners of green sport facilities may realize positive publicity, new sponsorship opportunities, tax credits, reduced utility costs, longer facility lifecycles, and long-term savings They often draw tens of thousands of people to a single site, thereby increasing traffic that contributes significantly to air pollution. Facilities like football stadiums are used infrequently, while others constructed for international mega events like the Olympic and Paralympic Games may be abandoned altogether. In many ways, large sport facilities are antithetical to green building. On game days, they create huge strains on local resources

No-vote stadium subsidies and the democratic response

Scholarship on sports stadium subsidies has covered myriad topics, including economic impact, finance, political strategy, and voter behavior. One area receiving much less attention from researchers is the emergence of the no-vote subsidy—where stadium-finance decisions are decided without a public vote—as a frequent alternative to direct democracy (i.e., referendums or initiatives). In this article, it is contended that an unfavorable no-vote subsidy can have damaging effects on a team’s financial performance, the reputation of elected officials, and citizen confidence in the democratic process. Whereas previous analyses of stadium-subsidy debates often end with a voting outcome (i.e., the issue is passed or rejected), the conceptual model presented in this article explores how attitudes toward a no-vote stadium subsidy are formed, and how these attitudes can have widespread effects on a number of individuals, groups, and institutions

In the Continued Pursuit of Stadium Initiatives Following Past Failures: An Analysis of the Los Angeles Farmers Field Proposal

Superficially, it appears paradoxical that the city of Los Angeles does not have a National Football League (NFL) franchise, especially considering the city’s status as the second-largest media market in the United States. Currently, the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) is leading a proposal for a new, state-of-the-art, 68,000-seat outdoor football stadium in downtown Los Angeles, along with a significant renovation of the neighboring convention center, in order to return the NFL to the city. According to official documents, the $1.2-billion project would be financed completely through private investment (Pamer & Healy, 2012). In addition to the familiar criticisms aimed at nearly every major sports facility proposal, pro-stadium officials must disassociate the present plan from past Los Angeles football endeavors. In this study, we analyzed AEG’s organizational perception management strategies through a content analysis of the proposed stadium’s official website and authorized social media outlets. Four primary themes emerged from an analysis of website social media communications. These themes represent AEG’s primary communicative objectives and include: legitimating the project; educating citizens about the project; connecting to Angelenos; and calling potential advocates of the plan into action. Implications of this study and directions for future research are provided

Climate Vulnerability as a Catalyst for Early Stadium Replacement

Purpose: Severe hazards associated with climate change are threatening human settlements, thereby requiring global cities to implement comprehensive climate adaptation strategies. For sports organizations, adaptive measures may include designing and constructing new stadiums. In this study, we explore climate change as a vehicle for urban transformation, particularly as it relates to the replacement of existing stadiums with new, more sustainable and resilient venues. Design/methodology/approach: We employed a collective case study approach focusing on three recent cases of stadium replacement: Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas; Oakland Ballpark in Oakland, California; and Marlins Park in Miami, Florida. These cases were selected because an official representative of each team made explicit references to some form of climate adaptation, though each ballpark faces a distinctive climate-related threat. Findings: Each of the cases illustrates the various ways in which climate vulnerability may be deployed by teams and policymakers to replace professional sports stadiums. Although all three examples involved the replacement of an existing ballpark, only in the Texas case was climate adaptation cited explicitly as the primary reason for stadium replacement. Still, ballpark-replacement plans in Oakland and Miami included significant and costly design features to protect the stadiums from extreme weather events. Originality: This study applies the concept of climate vulnerability to illustrate a potential strategy to justify stadium replacement. As cities and metropolitan regions continue to grapple with the grand 3 challenge of climate change, the associated vulnerability of large public assembly facilities like major sports stadiums—particularly those prominently situated in urban centers—can no longer be ignored

Foreign language teacher educators and the diffusion of educational innovations

This study investigated foreign language (FL) teacher educators in the Southeast With regard to their approach to educational innovations, particularly with regard to an innovation known as the ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of ForeignLanguages) Proficiency Guidelines. A model was constructed based on diffusion of innovations research in order to guide the construction of a questionnaire. This Diffusion Of Educational Innovations Model (DEIM) outlines key diffusion variables from antecedents to consequences of adoption. The survey targeted the following population:all southeastern FL teacher educators who instruct future elementary and or secondary foreign language (FL) teachers in the teaching of FLs. The population was assessed and censused through three directories, the World Wide Web, and phone / e-mail verification.Out of a total of 83 possible responses, 60 valid returns were received (72.3%).Results of data analysis produced several findings. With regard to antecedent variables, about half of the respondents who reported having obtained a doctorate were prepared in an education-related area; the other half had obtained their doctorate in a FL and or literature. Most reported working in a language department as opposed to a college of education. In terms of their socio-organizational behavior, most prefer consulting work colleagues (whom they rate as the most innovative and open to change among those in their socio-organizational context), professional contacts outside their area, the professional literature, and professional conferences about educational innovations. Preferred professional organizations for these respondents include the stateFLTA (foreign language teaching association) and ACTFL.IVOf all the innovations ACTFL has sponsored, respondents were most familiar with the Guidelines, the majority having implemented and or promoted them. Initial Trials of this innovation often involved integration with curriculum and assessment in FL education or FL teacher education. Most report having integrated the Guidelines into the methods course and the assessment of FL majors and or teacher education candidates.Overall, respondents report that the Guidelines have had an impact on the profession in their local area. However, they appear skeptical of the Guidelines\u27 impact on the K-12 FL teaching sphere due to constraints on these teachers\u27 ability to implement theGuidelines, as well as the cost and complexity of implementing them. With regard to the DEIM, professional and contextual variables, including population base, support of innovation and openness to change within the socio-organizational context, and whether respondents work in a language department or college of education, failed to show meaningful differences. Also, it appears that respondents\u27 views on proficiency-oriented instruction do not appear to be idiosyncratic as the model predicts for principles-based innovations. However, with regard to comparisons calculated on Florida—the only state on record as mandating the Guidelines as a curriculum framework—vs. other southeastern states with regard to the Guidelines\u27 impact, Florida\u27s ratings were found to be significantly lower than other states\u27 with regard to in-service FL teachers and districtFL supervisors. This contradicts the direction predicted in the model. The model was found to be correct in predicting that knowledge of an innovation is positively associated with adoption and implementation. Finally, professional variables, as predicted by the model, appear to be related to adoption and implementation as FL teacher educators whitmore overall professional experience were less likely to test candidates for proficiency.Based on the findings, the researcher has advanced several conclusions: theGuidelines have made an empirically significant impact on FL teacher education and education, in general, within the social system under study, though this impact appears to be somewhat less in the K-12 sphere; and also, that the typical FL teacher educator played an active role in facilitating the diffusion, adoption, and implementation of theGuidelines. Several implications of the study and recommendations for further research are also advanced