Revealed Comparative Advantage and Specialization in Athletics

Cindy Du Bois () and Bruno Heyndels ()
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Cindy Du Bois: Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Bruno Heyndels: Vrije Universiteit Brussel

No 717, Working Papers from International Association of Sports Economists, North American Association of Sports Economists

Abstract: Using entries in the 2005 IAAF rankings as a measure of a country’s 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 ‘typical’ 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.

Keywords: athletics; revealed comparative advantage; specialisation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L83 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 31 pages
Date: 2007-06
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http://web.holycross.edu/RePEc/spe/DuBoisHeyndels_Specialization.pdf Paper presented at the 2007 IASE Conference in Dayton, Ohio (application/pdf)
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