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On discouraging environments in team contests: Evidence from top‐level beach volleyball

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  • Hendrik Sonnabend

Abstract

This contribution empirically investigates the adverse effects of unbalanced competition and negative feedback in team contests in the field. Using a unique data set sourced from top‐level beach volleyball, I provide evidence for discouragement effects in line with contest theory. The analysis identifies a non‐linear relationship between ex ante contestant heterogeneity and performance. Overall, no gender differences can be found. Finally, it shows that age diversity in teams helps to overcome setbacks.

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  • Hendrik Sonnabend, 2020. "On discouraging environments in team contests: Evidence from top‐level beach volleyball," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 41(6), pages 986-997, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:mgtdec:v:41:y:2020:i:6:p:986-997
    DOI: 10.1002/mde.3153
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    2. Craig A. Depken II & John M. Gandar & Dmitry A. Shapiro, 2022. "Set-level Strategic and Psychological Momentum in Best-of-three-set Professional Tennis Matches," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 23(5), pages 598-623, June.

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