Analysis of competitiveness in the NBA regular seasons

[EN] Research background and hypothesis. Several attempts have been made to understand some modalities of sport from the point of view of complexity. Most of these studies deal with this phenomenon with regard to the mechanics of the game itself (in isolation). Nevertheless, some research has been conducted from the perspective of competition between teams. Our hypothesis was that for the study of competitiveness levels in the system of league competition our analysis model (Shannon entropy), is a useful and highly sensitive tool to determine the degree of global competitiveness of a league. Research aim. The aim of our study was to develop a model for the analysis of competitiveness level in team sport competitions based on the uncertainty level that might exist for each confrontation. Research methods. Degree of uncertainty or randomness of the competition was analyzed as a factor of competitiveness. It was calculated on the basis of the Shannon entropy. Research results. We studied 17 NBA regular seasons, which showed a fairly steady entropic tendency. There were seasons less competitive (? 0.9800) than the overall average (0.9835), and periods where the competitiveness remained at higher levels (range: 0.9851 to 0.9902). Discussion and conclusions. A league is more competitive when it is more random. Thus, it is harder to predict the fi nal outcome. However, when the competition is less random, the degree of competitiveness will decrease signifi cantly. The NBA is a very competitive league, there is a high degree of uncertainty of knowing the fi nal result.

Social responsibility as a tool for destination competitiveness

Máster en Economía del Turismo, Transporte y Medio Ambiente

Petroleum development and climate change: Risks of being a host country

Grabación realizada por Ciencia compartida (Biblioteca Universitaria)

Petroleum development and climate change: Risks of being a host country

[EN]A petroleum expert’s view on risks and benefits of oil exploration today in Canarias, considering the climate change facts. The talk starts with an overview of the total petroleum development process, from exploration to post-abandonment, indicating some important risks and benefits for each, from a petroleum industry and a personal perspective. Then there is a part of the talk about the agreed facts of climate change, and what this means for us all. The end of the talk brings together these two sections in a summary.