Thursday 30th November 2017, 2pm - 3.30pm
Chisholm House Boardroom, High School Yards EH1 1LZ
*Please note this is a change from our usual location*
Opening the black box of indicators: An STS approach to the construction of environmental knowledge
J. Antonio Ballesteros Figueroa (PhD Candidate, University of Edinburgh STIS)
The use of indicators as a technology for measuring but also for comparing and guiding the creation of public policy has increased over the last decades. The democratisation of the production of policy-related knowledge has brought about a sharing of a powerful resource such as statistics. Nowadays the state is not the only actor using quantitative information to govern. Non-State Actors (i.e. NGOs, and universities) have been producing indicators that allow us to observe the performance of different countries on a wide variety of issues. For example, respect for human rights is measured, through an annual index, by Human Rights Watch; Yale and Columbia Universities have been producing the Environmental Performance Index (EPI), an econometric tool that ranks countries’ performance on different environmental issues, for almost 20 years.
These indexes do not only measure and compare countries but also give recommendations or “guidelines” about how to achieve better scores. Part of the trust on these tools is based on the objectivity that they claim to have as quantitative technologies. However, little is known about the social processes around their production. In sum, this research is focused on analysing how indicators become trusted tools, stabilised.
My research aims to analyse influence the production of indicators beyond the black-box encapsulated within a quantitative methodology. This presentation will focus on discussing the outline of what is intended to become my 1st Year Board Paper. I will discuss my theoretical and methodological approaches together with some initial findings. The aim of this presentation is to receive feedback about this work in progress.
The Revenue League: an examination of Deloitte and KPMG building of the €1 billion revenue generating football club
Mason Robbins (PhD Candidate, University of Edinburgh STIS)
When examining the literature on football, it becomes evident that the vast majority is purely focused on the performance aspects of sports and ranking systems. This presents a clear gap in knowledge that needs to be examined in order to better understand the relationship between the business operations of sports and constructed ranking systems. The scope of this research is focused on understanding the relationship between football business rankings and top football clubs. The empirical evidence is based on a case study of the interaction of the Deloitte Football Money League (DFML), KPMG Football Club Valuations (FCV), Real Madrid CF, and third party supporting organisations with the aim to establish a nuanced understanding about revenue ranking and the business operations of football clubs. The focus of this study includes an examination of the importance of relationships with external organisations to maximise ranking and revenue opportunities and the reactions of other clubs to provide a greater understanding of the importance of football business rankings.
Espeland and Sauder’s (2007) work on explaining the reactivity of rankings is often cited as critical in understanding how rankings impact and influence the organisations being ranked, yet similar studies have rarely permeated the realm of sports ranking. Grounding this project in the literature of ranking systems and sports based ranking while analysing the importance of revenue generation in football provides a robust framework utilised to examine the relationships between the construction of rankings and influence on organisations being ranked. The strive to produce a nuanced understanding of revenue generation ranking in football has been accomplished by focusing on conducting elite-level interviews, observations, working within a top club, and primary and secondary data analysis.
Since this research covers a subject that has the interest of several top clubs, this presentation will focus on the results of the field research based on what I have been invited by club executive boards to present. I aim to discuss the impact and utilisation of football business rankings whilst grounding the data in the Real Madrid case study. I look forward to feedback before my next presentation to a club in a week’s time.
All students and staff welcome!