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Diversity on the screen

Author

Listed:
  • Manthos D. Delis

    (Montpellier Business School)

  • Anastasia Litina

    (University of Macedonia)

  • Skerdilajda Zanaj

    (University of Luxembourg)

Abstract

Using hand-collected data on movies from 1998 to 2008, we examine how deep-rooted population diversity in the origin countries of the cast (actors) and the production team (director, writer, and producer) affects movie performance (spectator ratings and box office revenue). We contend that distinguishing between the cast (what is visible by spectators-consumers) and the production team allows an analysis of how “visible diversity” affects performance. Once meticulously controlling for selection-endogeneity concerns, we find that the visible component has a hump-shaped effect on our movie performance measures and mostly drives our findings. We also show that the optimal level of cast diversity (the one that maximizes movie performance) is significantly higher than the sample’s average value.

Suggested Citation

  • Manthos D. Delis & Anastasia Litina & Skerdilajda Zanaj, 2021. "Diversity on the screen," Working Papers 8/21, Sapienza University of Rome, DISS.
    • Handle: RePEc:saq:wpaper:8/21
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    File URL: http://www.diss.uniroma1.it/sites/default/files/allegati/DiSSE_Delisetal_wp8_2021.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    4. Andrew Ainslie & Xavier Drèze & Fred Zufryden, 2005. "Modeling Movie Life Cycles and Market Share," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 24(3), pages 508-517, November.
    5. Alberto Alesina & Eliana La Ferrara, 2003. "Ethnic Diversity and Economic Performance," Harvard Institute of Economic Research Working Papers 2028, Harvard - Institute of Economic Research.
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    Cited by:

    1. Beine, Michel & Peracchi, Silvia & Zanaj, Skerdilajda, 2023. "Ancestral diversity and performance: Evidence from football data," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 213(C), pages 193-214.
    2. Michel Beine & Silvia Peracchi & Skerdilajda Zanaj, 2021. "Genetic Diversity and Performance: Evidence from Fooball Data," CESifo Working Paper Series 9188, CESifo.

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