American Football Team Research Articles

Katrina M. Phillips. Staging Indigeneity: Salvage Tourism and the Performance of Native American History.

From tea-slinging members of the Sons of Liberty to American football and baseball teams, non-Natives have appropriated Native American identities for centuries. Since Philip Deloria’s Playing Indian (1999) laid bare these settler fantasies in the United States, scholars have discovered still more iterations of commodified Indigeneity across the globe. In Staging Indigeneity: Salvage Tourism and the Performance of Native American History, historian Katrina M. Phillips focuses on Indigenous-themed outdoor dramas in Pendleton, Oregon, Cherokee, North Carolina, and Chillicothe, Ohio. These entrepreneurial small towns turned to Native American history to boost their local economies, drawing visitors to them through what Phillips defines as “salvage tourism.” Economic salvation has not necessarily been the result. But these outdoor dramas have shaped regional memory cultures, drawing tens of thousands of visitors, and have become cultural artifacts embedded, for better or worse, in the communities that created them. Staging Indigeneity proceeds chronologically, beginning with Pendleton, Oregon and the performances of Round Up (1910) and Happy Canyon (1914). Both productions were initiated by town boosters who hoped to rejuvenate the woolen mills, which began their slow decline at the turn of the twentieth century. Pendleton is adjacent to the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Major Lee Moorhouse, the Indian agent appointed to CTUIR, later became the town mayor, and he turned to Umatilla, Cayuse, and Walla Walla citizens for support as he tried to boost the local economy. Moorhouse used photography and his connections with journalists to promote both events, commodifying Indigeneity for non-Native audiences. Indigenous actors, some of whom studied theater at boarding schools such as Carlisle, worked with Moorhouse to create the Round Up and Happy Canyon productions. Despite low compensation for much of its history, certain families on the Umatilla Reservation consider participation in Round Up and Happy Canyon to be a family tradition, an essential site of Indigeneity. CTUIRs Wildhorse Resort and Casino, founded in 1995, has become the real source of economic revitalization in Pendleton, but the productions of Round Up and Happy Canyon continue to attract visitors yearning for nostalgic portrayals of the American West.

Short-Term Effects of an American Football Game on Cognitive Function, Memory, and Brain Functional Connectivity

ABSTRACT Introduction/Purpose Head impacts associated with American football have been associated with short- and long-term disrupted cognitive performance. In this study, we aimed to determine the effects of an acute game of American football on cognitive function, memory, morphological changes, and functional connectivity in the brain. Methods Twelve members (mean ± standard deviation: age, 26.8 ± 5.2 yr; height, 183 ± 6.5 cm; weight, 98.8 ± 23.6 kg) of the Israel National American Football team were assessed 1 wk before (PRE) and 24-h post (24P) game. No head injuries to any of the players participating in the study occurred. All study participants were scanned using a Siemens Prisma 3-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner to determine changes in resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) by measuring each participant’s connectivity of subcortical regions. In addition, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentration and cognitive function were measured at each assessment. Results A significant increase in BDNF concentration (33%, P = 0.007) was noted at 24P. In addition, significant increases (p < 0.05) in cerebral connectivity within the hippocampus, amygdala, and the connections between the hippocampus and the somatomotor areas were noted between PRE and 24P. Elevations in hippocampus connectivity were correlated with changes in acute memory (r = 0.72, P = 0.03), and decreases in somatomotor–hippocampus connectivity were significantly correlated with a greater change in BDNF concentration (r = −0.67, P = 0.01). No significant changes were found in brain volume, cognitive function, or between brain connectivity and other regions. Conclusions The fMRI results suggested that, even during an American football game in which no known head injury occurred, changes in neurotrophin concentrations were correlated with morphological changes in the parietal and frontal regions of the brain.

The impact of plyometric training program on sprinting speed and jumping ability in american football players of a german amateur club

Background: The profile of requirements for an American Football game is characterized by good sprinting and jumping performance. The literature highlights the benefits of plyometric training on sprinting speed and jumping ability. Due to an increasing professionalization of American football in Germany, a transfer to the training practice is obsolete. Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the impact of additional participation in a plyometric training program on sprinting speed and jumping ability of players of the American Football Team in Germany. Material and Methods: The study was conducted in May 2014, with 20 players of an amateur American Football Club in Germany including the treatment group of 10 participants (age: 22.44 3.4 years) and the control group of 10 participants (age: 17.10 1.20 years). The treatment group followed a plyometric training routine once per week for 2 months while the control group was attending only the team training. The variables assessed at baseline and after 2 months included the speed measurements of a 30 m sprint and acceleration in the first 5 m, and the results of CMJ, SJ, and DJ performed from the heights of 16cm, 24cm, and 32cm. Results: Analysis of variance did not confirm statistically significant improvements in sprint time in the 30m sprint and jumping performance in SJ and DJ in the treatment group. The sprint time in the first five meters of the 30-meter sprint showed a highly significant increase of 1.66%. In the CMJ, a marginally significant increase in jump height of 6.37% was found. Conclusions: significant improvements as a result of the plyometric strength training can be only found in the jump height in the CMJ. In order to reach more comprehensive conclusions, physical fitness of the subjects, a longer intervention duration, and a higher training volume should be taken into account in future studies.

Electromyostimulation Application on Peroneus Longus Muscle Improves Balance and Strength in American Football Players

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of 5weeks of electromyostimulation (EMS) of the peroneus longus muscle on balance and muscle strength in American Football (AmF) players. Thirty-two healthy male athletes (4 American Football team training sessions per week, college level) were randomly divided into the EMS and control groups. The EMS applications were conducted on the dominant peroneus longus muscle 3 times per week for 5weeks, with each application lasting 25minutes. Before and after the interventions, the strength of ankle dorsiflexion-plantar flexion and foot eversion-inversion wasmeasured with isometric dynamometer and anterior-posterior sway, mediolateral sway, perimeter, and ellipse area were measured with the Technobody Balance System in unilateral stance positions, while eyes were open. Changes between initial and final tests for dorsiflexion and eversion strength, and mediolateral sway for dynamic balance in the groups were significantly different (P = .039, P = .027, P = .030, respectively). The EMS application had positive effects on muscle strength and dynamic balance of AmF players. The EMS can be used to improve isometric strength and dynamic balance in AmF players.

A pain free nociceptor: Predicting football injuries with machine learning

Injuries are a significant aspect of every sport, with the ability to impact a player’s career and the success of a team in their season. As sensor data is able to pick up on a player’s physical state, recently it has been analyzed for its ability to predict player injuries. We inspect the predictive power of player stats, subjective player responses, GPS data, and training load data in forecasting game injuries from an NCAA American football team during the 2019 season. Data processing techniques are used to remove noise and decrease correlated data, and as large portions of the data is missing, multiple methods of data interpolation are tested. Survey data and player stats have the most predictive power for injuries with GPS and training load data performing at near-random levels. Overall, when modeling player stats and survey data together, injury predictions had a precision of .47, recall of .74, and an F1 score of .52 significantly outperforming random guessing.

Tackled by COVID in Italy: Do as the Brescians Do

Tackled by COVID in Italy: Do as the Brescians Do

The effect of omega-3 fatty acids on a biomarker of head trauma in NCAA football athletes: a\xa0multi-site, non-randomized study

BackgroundAmerican-style football (ASF) athletes are at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and exhibit elevated levels of serum neurofilament light (Nf-L), a biomarker of axonal injury that is associated with repetitive head impact exposure over the course of a season of competition. Supplementation with the w-3 fatty acid (FA) docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) attenuates serum Nf-L elevations and improves aspects of CVD, such as the omega-3 index (O3I). However, the effect of combining the w-3 FA eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) with DHA on, specifically, serum Nf-L in ASF athletes is unknown. Therefore, this study assessed the effect of supplemental w-3 FA (EPA+DPA+DHA) on serum Nf-L, plasma w-3 FAs, the O3I, and surrogate markers of inflammation over the course of a season.MethodsA multi-site, non-randomized design, utilizing two American football teams was employed. One team (n = 3 1) received supplementation with a highly bioavailablew-3 FA formulation (2000mg DHA, 560mg EPA, 320mg DPA, Mindset®, Struct Nutrition, Missoula, MT) during pre-season and throughout the regular season, while the second team served as the control (n = 35) and did not undergo supplementation. Blood was sampled at specific times throughout pre- and regular season coincident w ith changes in intensity, physical contact, and changes in the incidence and severity of head impacts. Group differences were determined via a mixed-model between-within subjects ANOVA. Effect sizes were calculated using Cohen’s dfor all between-group differences. Significance was set a priori at p< .05.ResultsCompared to the control group, ASF athletes in the treatment group experienced large increases in plasma EPA (p < .001, d = 1.71) and DHA (p < .001, d = 2.10) which contributed to increases in the O3I (p < .001, d = 2.16) and the EPA:AA ratio (p = .001, d = 0.83) and a reduction in the w-6: w-3 ratio (p < .001, d = 1.80). w-3 FA supplementation attenuated elevations in Nf-L (p = .024). The control group experienced a significant increase in Nf-L compared to baseline at several measurement time points (T2, T3, and T4 [p range < .001 – .005, drange = 0.59-0.85]).ConclusionsThese findings suggest a cardio- and neuroprotective effect of combined EPA+DPA+DHA w-3 FA supplementation in American-style football athletes.Trial registrationThis trial was registered with the ISRCTN registry (ISRCTN90306741).

Ethnic inclusion in medicine: the ineffectiveness of the 'Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic' metric to measure progress.

The medical profession is a success story for ethnic diversity. Approximately 45% of hospital doctors and at least 32% of GPs in the United Kingdom are from minority groups.1,2 Fourteen per cent of the UK population is non-White, with a further 5.5% identifying as a minority White group.3 However, success is marred by problems of ‘inclusion’ of minority ethnic doctors.4 Inclusion is defined as ‘ the achievement of a work environment in which all individuals are treated fairly and respectfully, have equal access to opportunities and resources, and can contribute fully to the organisation ’s success. ’ 5 The King’s Fund, a health think-tank, has recently highlighted that senior leadership and managerial positions are predominately held by White British and male persons.6 There has been longstanding discussion regarding inclusion in medicine on the basis of characteristics such as gender and socioeconomic status.7,8 However, the events of 2020 — such as the death of George Floyd, the Black Lives Matter protests, and the impact of COVID-19 on ethnic minority groups — have led to a focus on race and ethnicity. The use of a ‘Rooney Rule’, a form of affirmative action to improve racial diversity and/or inclusion, has been touted as a solution to a lack of ethnic inclusion in British medicine. This rule was created in 2003 by the National Football League (NFL) — where at least one candidate from a minority ethnic group must be interviewed by an American football team for the head coach position.9 Affirmative action is a quick way to reduce — or attempt to reduce — racial inequality and exclusion. That does not necessarily make it the best or the only way. In 2003, when the Rooney Rule was introduced by the NFL, there were …

Using K-means Clustering to Create Training Groups for Elite American Football Student-athletes Based on Game Demands

Background: American football and the athletes that participate have continually evolved since the sport’s inception. The fluidity of the sport, as well as the growth of the body of knowledge pertaining to American football, requires evolving training techniques. While performance data is being garnered at very high rates by elite level sports organizations, the limiting factor to the value of data can be the limited known uses for the data. Objective: This study introduces a technique that can be used in tandem with data collected from wearable technology to better inform training decisions. Method: The K-means clustering technique was used to group athletes from two seasons worth of data from an NCAA Division 1 American football team that is in the “Power 5.” The data was obtained using Catapult Sports OPTIMEYE S5 TM in games played against only other “Power 5” programs. This data was then used to create average game demands of each student-athlete, which was then used to create training groups based upon individual game demands as previously mentioned. Results: The resultant groupings from the single-season analyses of seasons one and two showed results that were similar to traditional groupings used for training in American football, which worked as validation of the results, while also offering insights on individuals that may need to consider training in a non-traditional group based upon their game demands. Conclusion: This technique can be brought to `athletic training and be useful in any organization that is dealing with training multitudes of athletes.

Vocal characteristics of athletes from an american football team

The objective of this study was to verify the vocal measurements of athletes from an american football team from a municipality in the countryside of the state. With participation of eight men, aged between 18 and 39 years old (average of 24.25 years old). The collection of maximum phonation time of the vowels /a/, /i/, /u/, /s/, /z/, /e/ and number counting in normal pitch and loudness and the maximum phonation time of the [ė] was performed. Modal Sound Pressure Level and dynamic range were obtained by emission of /a:/. Acoustic evaluation of glottal and spectrographic sources. Maximum phonation times were below normality; the s/z ratio within the normality; the ratio ė/e below normality; the difference between vowels and number counting, the modal sound pressure level and the dynamic range were above normality. The acoustic vocal analysis showed impairment of the glottic source while the spectrographs were considered normal. In these American football athletes, pneumo-phono-articulatory incoordination with hyperfunctional characteristics and acoustic signal with presence of instability, aperiodicity and vocal emission failures were found, probably due to the incorrect vocal uses practiced in the sport.

Characteristics of a diet and supplementation of American football team players: following a fashionable trend or a balanced diet?

American football is based on speed and strength efforts players forming both defensive and offensive units in the team. Players’ diet’s may differ with regard to the variety of physical efforts performed and their different nutritional needs. The aim of the study was to evaluate a diet and the supplementation, including the comparison of both the defensive and offensive player’s formations, which may constitute a background of sportsmen’ balanced menus permitting them to achieve better sports results. The study included 44 American football players (24 defensive, 20 offensive players). The study group completed a three-day-dietary recall containing the time of consumption as well as a questionnaire about a type and amount of supplements used, including questions of one or multiple choice. The mean age of defensive players was 25.1±5.8 years, while of offensive players was 23.4±3.7. The mean body mass equaled 101±15.6 kg vs. 88.7±22.2 kg. The mean height of defensive players was 183.8±6 cm vs. 182.4±7.3 cm of offensive players. Offensive players consumed on average 2471.9±838.6 kcal/24 hs, whilst defensive players 3086.1±908.9 kcal/24 hs. The mean level of cholesterol level consumption equaled 667.81±300 mg in defensive players, while 546.2±285 mg in offensive players. Of energizing preparations, protein powder supplement and coffee were most frequently chosen by players. Defensive unit players were characterized by higher consumption of certain nutritional components and more frequent diet supplementation. A too low caloric intakes well as water, vitamin D, carbohydrates and dietary fiber intake was observed in both units. A high intake of high level cholesterol products requires reduced consumption of saturated fatty acids and increased consumption polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Roman History

Identity studies live. This latest batch of publications explores what made not just the Romans but the Italians, Christians, and Etruscans who they were. We begin with both age and beauty, the fruits of a special exhibition at the Badischen Landesmuseum Karlsruhe in the first half of 2018 into the most famous of Roman predecessors, the Etruscans. Most of the exhibits on display come from Italian museums, but the interpretative essays that break up the catalogue – which are also richly illustrated – are by both Italian and German scholars. These are split between five overarching sections covering introductory affairs, the ages of the princes and of the city-states, the Etruscans’ relationship with Rome, and modern reception. The first contains essays treating Etruscan origins, history, identity, and settlement area. The second begins with the early Iron Age Villanova site, before turning to early Etruscan aristocratic culture, including banqueting, burials, language, writing, and seafaring. The third and longest section considers the heyday of Etruscan civilization and covers engineering and infrastructure, crafts and production, munitions, women's roles, daily life, dance, sport, funerary culture, wall painting, religious culture, and art. The fourth section treats both the confrontation between Etruscan and Roman culture and the persistence of the former after ‘conquest’ by the latter. The fifth section contains one essay on the modern inheritance of the Etruscan ‘myth’ and one on the history of scholarship on the Etruscans. Three aspects to this volume deserve particular praise. First, it includes not only a huge range of material artefacts but also individual essays on Etruscan production in gold, ceramic, ivory, terracotta, and bronze. Second, there is a recurring interest in the interconnections between the Etruscans and other cultures, not just Romans but Greeks, Iberians, Celts, Carthaginians, and other Italian peoples. Third, it includes the history of the reception of Etruscan culture. Amid the just-shy-of-200 objects included (almost every one with description and high-quality colour image), the reader can find everything from a mid-seventh-century pitcher made from an Egyptian ostrich egg painted with birds, flowers, and dancers (147), through the well-known third- or second-century bcTabula Cortonensis – a lengthy and only partially deciphered Etruscan inscription that documents either a legal transaction or a funerary ceremony (311) – to the 2017 kit of the Etruschi Livorno American Football team (364). Since we have no extant Etruscan literature, a volume such as this is all the more valuable in trying to get a sense of these people and their culture, and the exceptionally high production value provides quality exposure to material otherwise scattered throughout Italy.

A case of apogeotropic horizontal canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (cupulolithiasis) due to head contusion in an adolescent

A 17-year-old high school boy who complained of severe positional vertigo visited our hospital. He belonged to an American football team in high school, and his head often hit opponents during games. The vertigo was strongest when his left ear was down in the supine position. Physical examination and computed tomography revealed no abnormalities. However, positional testing revealed apogeotropic direction-changing horizontal nystagmus. Rightward nystagmus in the left-ear-down supine position was stronger than leftward nystagmus in the right-ear-down supine position. Additionally, in the supine position, a null point for horizontal nystagmus was identified, beyond which the nystagmus changed direction.

Colin Kaepernick and the NFL

In early August 2017, the majority owner of a popular American football team was facing a troubling dilemma. The preseason was set to start in less than a week, and the team's starting quarterback was battling a devastating knee injury. Unfortunately, the next player in line for this position was still quite green. It was time to explore signing a free-agent quarterback who could give the team a realistic chance to win football games. As he mulled his options, he was aware that Colin Kaepernick was available to sign. The problem was that Kaepernick was responsible for sparking much of the political activism now prominently on display within the NFL. On the one hand, Kaepernick had proven to be a skilled player early in his career. He had led his team to a Super Bowl appearance and back-to-back conference championship games. On the other hand, due to Kaepernick's protest against racial injustice, he was a risky choice. Excerpt UVA-OB-1206 Rev. Jun. 7, 2018 Colin Kaepernick and the NFL Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, “Get that son of a bitch off the field right now? Out! He's fired. He's fired!” You know, some owner is going to do that. He's going to say, “That guy that disrespects our flag, he's fired.” And that owner, they don't know it [but] they'll be the most popular person in this country. —Donald Trump, 45th President of the United States It was early August 2017, and the majority owner of a very popular American football team was facing a troubling dilemma. The preseason was set to start in less than a week, and the team's starting quarterback was battling a devastating knee injury. Unfortunately, the next player in line for this position was still quite green. The team's owner had counted on his seasoned quarterback to lead the team to another successful playoff run and having more time to develop this novice quarterback. It was time to explore signing a free-agent quarterback who could give the team a realistic chance to win football games. . . .

Virtual Patriot Games: American Football in The Times of London, 1888–1910

This study examines the American football press coverage in the Times of London from 1888 to November 1910. The time span covers the paper’s first mention of the game to the first game played in England. This period also coincides with increasing anxiety about the strength of the British Empire and unwanted American influences. During this time, athletic contests between the two nations turned into sites for the construction of national identities. Adapting the sport scholar Emma Poulton’s concept of ‘mediated patriot games’, the author argues that the American football coverage of the Times of London could be considered ‘virtual patriot games’, as the absence of domestic American football teams did not allow for direct competition. Two related narrative elements. The stories in the Times framed gridiron football as the pastime of the ‘other’, including translating rules and comparing the merits of rugby and American football. The reports also focused on the American game’s violence, confirming older traditions in British imaginations of America. Advancements in communication technologies, especially the telegraphic wire, were critical for the immediacy with which British readers consumed American sporting news. Contrary to current scholarship, British interpretations of American culture through gridiron football developed much earlier than the post-1970s information age.

Correlation Between Varying Back Squat Depths On Speed And Vertical Jump Performance In North American High School Football Players

The back squat exercise is perhaps the most popular and most effective exercise for developing lower body musculature. Development of the lower body musculature is paramount for increasing ground reaction forces which in turn can translate to increased explosiveness in movements such as sprinting or vertical jumping (VJ). For athletes in particular, developing lower body strength can be of utmost importance. There is however dispute over which back squat depth is most optimal. PURPOSE: This study attempted to determine which of two back squat depths (90 degree knee flexion or 45 degree knee flexion) would correlate with superior sprint times and VJ performance. METHODS: Participants were high school aged males on a North American football team (age: 15.1±0.9 yrs, mass: 77.0±13.2 kgs). Twenty three athletes performed the 36.6 meter (36.6M) sprint and VJ tests along with performing a 3RM back squat at 90 and 45 degrees of knee flexion on randomized separate days. A Pearson Correlation Coefficient (r) test was used to compare the squat scores with sprint times and VJ performance. RESULTS: Variable measures were 36.6M: 5.23±0.26 secs, VJ: 59.6±6.6 cms, 90° 3RM squat: 116.1±21.0 kgs, and 45° 3RM squat: 132.1.±22.2 kgs. Low correlations were found at both knee flexion angles: 90° 3RM squat (36.6Mr=-0.32, VJr=0.33, p<0.01), and 45° 3RM squat (36.6Mr=-0.31, VJr=0.33, p<0.01). However, moderate correlations were revealed when comparing the 3RM back squat/body mass ratio with the participant’s 36.6M sprint times (90r=-0.46, 45r=-0.46, p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Within the parameters of this study, low to moderate correlations were determined between back squat strength and sprint speed as well as VJ at both 90 and 45 degrees of knee flexion.

Performance on the Functional Movement Screen Is Related to Hop Performance But Not to Hip and Knee Strength in Collegiate Football Players

To define the relationship between Functional Movement Screen (FMS) scores and hop performance, hip strength, and knee strength in collegiate football players. Cross-sectional cohort. Freshmen of a Division I collegiate American football team (n = 59). The athletes performed the FMS, and also a variety of hop tests, isokinetic knee strength, and isometric hip strength tasks. We recorded total FMS score, peak strength, and hop performance, and we calculated asymmetries between legs on the different tasks. Spearman correlation coefficients quantified the relationships between these measures, and χ analyses compared the number of athletes with asymmetries on the different tasks. We observed significant correlations (r = 0.38-0.56, P ≤ 0.02) between FMS scores and hop distance but not between FMS scores and hip or knee strength (all P ≥ 0.21). The amount of asymmetry on the FMS test was significantly correlated to the amount of asymmetry on the timed 6-m hop (r = 0.44, P < 0.01) but not to hip or knee strength asymmetries between limbs (all P ≥ 0.34). Functional Movement Screen score was positively correlated to hop distance, and limb asymmetry in FMS tasks was correlated to limb asymmetry in 6-m hop time in football players. No significant correlations were observed between FMS score and hip and knee strength or between FMS asymmetry and asymmetries in hip and knee strength between limbs. These results indicate that a simple hop for distance test may be a time-efficient and cost-efficient alternative to FMS testing in athletes and that functional asymmetries between limbs do not coincide with strength asymmetries.

Reflexive intergroup bias in third-party punishment.

Humans show a rare tendency to punish norm-violators who have not harmed them directly-a behavior known as third-party punishment. Research has found that third-party punishment is subject to intergroup bias, whereby people punish members of the out-group more severely than the in-group. Although the prevalence of this behavior is well-documented, the psychological processes underlying it remain largely unexplored. Some work suggests that it stems from people's inherent predisposition to form alliances with in-group members and aggress against out-group members. This implies that people will show reflexive intergroup bias in third-party punishment, favoring in-group over out-group members especially when their capacity for deliberation is impaired. Here we test this hypothesis directly, examining whether intergroup bias in third-party punishment emerges from reflexive, as opposed to deliberative, components of moral cognition. In 3 experiments, utilizing a simulated economic game, we varied participants' group relationship to a transgressor, measured or manipulated the extent to which they relied on reflexive or deliberative judgment, and observed people's punishment decisions. Across group-membership manipulations (American football teams, nationalities, and baseball teams) and 2 assessments of reflexive judgment (response time and cognitive load), reflexive judgment heightened intergroup bias, suggesting that such bias in punishment is inherent to human moral cognition. We discuss the implications of these studies for theories of punishment, cooperation, social behavior, and legal practice. (PsycINFO Database Record

Prevalence of Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV and Related Risk Factors in Contact Sportsmen in Zanjan: A Letter to Editor.

Prevalence of Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV and Related Risk Factors in Contact Sportsmen in Zanjan: A Letter to Editor.

Gender Diversity on Boards: Beyond Quotas

Worldwide there is a growing interest in increasing the number of women on boards. Quotas have been proposed in many countries as a way to address this problem, but it is not universally accepted as the right approach. Nevertheless, it is apparent that change is needed as women continue to represent minorities on boards of some of the largest companies. Moreover, increasing the number of women on boards can be beneficial to firms. While it is not clear whether there is a positive relationship between increasing the number of women on boards and firm profitability, it is clearer that women make positive contributions to the board decision-making process. As a result, increasing the number of women on boards improves the quality of decisions made by the board. Given the benefits increased numbers of women on boards can produce for companies and countries' lacklustre interest in quotas, this paper canvasses methods by which boards can increase female representation without relying on quotas. As such, it looks to practices adopted by American football teams, Australian mentoring programs, and UK disclosure rules. It also examines existing workplace norms and practices which inhibit female labour participation. In doing so, it proposes alternative approaches by which countries can increase gender diversity on boards.