Convergence Challenges in Sport-Related Applied Disciplines: The Case of Sport Management

Abstract

Responding to a series of articles in sport management literature calling for more diversity in terms of areas of interest or methods, this study warns against the danger of excessively fragmenting this field of research. The works of T. Kuhn (1962) and J. Pfeffer (1993) are taken as the basis of an argument connecting convergence with scientific strength. However, being aware of the large number of counterarguments directed at this line of reasoning, a new model of convergence, which focuses on clusters of research contributions with similar areas of interest, methods, and concepts, is proposed. The existence of these clusters is determined with the help of a bibliometric analysis of publications in three sport management journals. This analysis determines that there are justified reasons to be concerned about the level of convergence in the field, pointing to a reduced ability to create large clusters of contributions in similar areas of interest.