Title: Comparative analysis of football efficiency among two small European countries: Portugal and Greece

Authors: Carlos Pestana Barros, John Douvis

Addresses: Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestao, Technical University of Lisbon, Rua Miguel Lupi, 20, 1249-078 Lisbon, Portugal. ' Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Athens, 61 Nafsikas St., 17564 Palaio Faliro-Athens, Greece

Abstract: This paper estimates changes in total productivity, breaking this down into technically efficient change and technological change by means of data envelopment analysis (DEA) applied to a representative sample of football clubs operating in the two small European countries: Portugal and Greece. The aim of this procedure is to seek out those best practices that will lead to improved performance in the market. The authors rank the football clubs according to their change in total productivity for the period 1999-2000 to 2002-2003, concluding that some clubs experienced productivity growth while others experienced a decrease in productivity. The implications arising from the study are considered in terms of managerial policy.

Keywords: football clubs; Portugal; Greece; total productivity change; Malmquist index; efficiency; soccer clubs; technically efficient change; technological change; data envelopment analysis; DEA; best practice; performance improvement; managerial policy; sport management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSMM.2009.028801

International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 2009 Vol.6 No.2, pp.183 - 199

Published online: 30 Sep 2009 *

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