The effect of birthplace (the place where a player is born and grows up) is one of the key variables associated with soccer player development and achievement. However, recent studies have questioned the influence of contextual variables on selection and promotion processes related to birthplace. The main purposes of this study were: (1) establish whether there is a difference between the birthplace and sporting growth according to the stages of entry into the academy, (2) to evaluate the influence of geographical and contextual variables on sporting development, and (3) assess the chances of making a professional team debut. Applied logistic regression was used in order to analyse the birthplace and growth of 1411 male soccer players, of which 40.1% are incorporated in the U-12 category from a Spanish First division club, and the results showed a statistically significant association between a change from one’s birthplace to the place of sporting growth and later success (79%). Key contextual variables such as number of inhabitants, population density, proximity to sports facilities, average household income and presence of sports clubs have been considered. The analysis of the contextual variables revealed that there was a positive relationship between certain variables, like a higher population, and being selected for the academy (p < 0.01; r = 0.28). Finally, the findings showed that players who experienced a geographical transition were 38% more likely to make a professional debut. The importance of considering the place of sporting growth when analysing the “birthplace effect” has therefore been demonstrated.

This research aimed to describe the use and functionality that migrant women provide to social networks and the role they play in the social integration of migrant women. Using a qualitative methodology design, a virtual ethnography approach, and with the support of ATLAS, this research analyses 863 discursive threads of a WhatsApp group comprised of 123 migrant women belonging to an association related to the social and labour integration of the migrant population. The results indicate that the WhatsApp group is a reliable source of information as well as spaces of solidarity and emotional support among women who experience similar situations during the migration process. The originality of these results is that they provide insight into the uses of social networks by migrant women, on which there is little research, through observations in a WhatsApp group. Organisations working with migrant women should rethink the functionalities of these social networks and the importance of these tools in improving the social and labour integration of migrant women.

Birthplace is a contextual variable that influences the talent development process of soccer players. The main objective of this systematic review was to compile the scientific literature on the effect of birthplace in soccer. This is the first systematic review to investigate how this contextual factor relates to talent development in soccer. Using the PRISMA methodology, the analysis of the 14 articles that were part of the final review concluded with three main discursive themes: the place of birth and population size, composition of the birthplace and socio-demographic characteristics of the population, and the place of birth and the location of high performance sport centres. This review shows that there are several underlying elements for understanding the effect of the place of birth on the development of talent in soccer. The combination of population density and the level of facilities in the place where the player was born are key in the development of a soccer player. It is not only about the place as a space, but also about what that space means for the development of the player's soccer skills. The findings not only highlight the characteristics of the areas, in terms of density and equipment supply, identified as talent hotspots, but also provide an opportunity to critically reflect on current practices of talent identification and development in soccer.

Las ciudades de todo el mundo se enfrentan a un reto, el cambio climático, que ha pasado de ser una amenaza a un hecho. La dimensión glocal del cambio climático hace de las ciudades los principales actores para la adaptación a los efectos perturbadores de dicho cambio. Desde The Rockefeller Foundation se adopta la misión de promover un cambio de perspectiva en la gestión de los sistemas urbanos, la resiliencia urbana. A través de su programa 100resilientcities trata de facilitar la construcción de ciudades resilientes. Este estudio explora cómo se ha abordado el pensamiento resiliente en las cinco ciudades europeas que han diseñado su Estrategia de Resiliencia Urbana de la mano de The Rockefeller Foundation. Utilizando el análisis de contenido como herramienta metodológica y el programa MAXQDA, se han explorado las dimensiones que configuran la ciudad resiliente. Los resultados del análisis de las cinco Estrategias de Resiliencia urbana muestran una divergencia de metas y acciones en el camino de la construcción de la ciudad. No obstante, lejos de convertirse en una limitación, los resultados avalan la utilidad del marco teórico-conceptual utilizado en la comprensión del concepto de resiliencia urbana.

In recent years, interest in informal learning in the workplace has intensified, with organizations being concerned about ways through which workers learn in the workplace beyond the knowledge acquired through formal learning. Every day at the workplace, a series of lessons can be learnt through colleague interaction, in addition to another series of elements that act as a catalyst to enhance workers’ learning and knowledge. A qualitative approximation method was selected for this study. Furthermore, 16 in-depth interviews were conducted with employees with different responsibilities and from different organizational areas. The study results describe the manner in which learning occurs in the workplace and employees’ perception of different elements that act as catalysts to enhance their learning. While numerous elements specific to the job position held by employees are indicated, learning in the workplace responds to a model based on three pillars: a flexible worker with skills to perform tasks requiring constant adaptation to respond to unexpected events and problem solving; an organization that provides spaces for interaction, such as team meetings, to address difficulties; and a competitive environment marked by technological innovation and customer demand that fosters learning.

The main objective of this study was to detect, from among a set of innate, acquired, and contextual factors, those variables that are ascribed to players ultimately promoted to the professional team of a Spanish league club during the earlier selection and development phases. The data were presented in frequencies and correlations and by means of a classificatory cluster model. The variables used for the analyses included date of birth, birthplace density, player position, laterality, academy entry stage, international participation, and debutant status. These variables were related to the talent selection and promotion phases (i.e., academy entry stage and player debut). A dataset of information on 1411 players from the last 30 seasons of the Athletic Club de Bilbao (1993–2021) was used. Regarding the results, first, there was an over-representation of players with respect to their Q1 birth date and K5 density quintile in the selection phase; however, once players joined the academy, their chances of promotion (debut) fell for players in the Q4 birth date and K3 density quintiles. Second, there was a significant correlation between players’ debut and the stage of incorporation (p < 0.01; V = 0.46) and internationalisation (p < 0.01; V = 0.5). Finally, the birthplace density and laterality variables converged as classificatory features of the players.