Manager to Go? Performance Dips Reconsidered with Evidence from Dutch Football

European Journal of Operational Research, Vol. 148, No. 2, pp. 233-246, July 2003

14 Pages Posted: 22 Apr 2004

See all articles by Allard Bruinshoofd

Allard Bruinshoofd

Maastricht University - Department of Economics

Bas ter Weel

University of Amsterdam - SEO Economic Research; Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

Abstract

This paper examines whether the forced resignation of managers of Dutch football teams leads to an improvement in the results. We find by analysing 12 years of football in the highest Dutch league that forced resignations are precededby declines in team performance and followed by improvements in performance. However, the improvement in performance after appointing a new manager does not exceed the seasonal average of both the old and new manager. More importantly, using a control group, it turns out that when the manager would not have been forced to resign, performance would have improved more rapidly. We conclude from this that sacking a manager seems to be neither effective nor efficient in terms of improving team performance.

Keywords: Replacement, Ashenfelter's dip, Evaluation, Difference-in-differences

JEL Classification: J34

Suggested Citation

Bruinshoofd, Allard and ter Weel, Bas, Manager to Go? Performance Dips Reconsidered with Evidence from Dutch Football. European Journal of Operational Research, Vol. 148, No. 2, pp. 233-246, July 2003, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=534202

Allard Bruinshoofd

Maastricht University - Department of Economics ( email )

P.O. Box 616
Maastricht, 6200 MD
Netherlands
+43 388 26 85 (Phone)
+43 388 48 64 (Fax)

Bas Ter Weel (Contact Author)

University of Amsterdam - SEO Economic Research ( email )

Roetersstraat 29
Amsterdam, 1018 WB
Netherlands

Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany