Does the organizational climate predict the innovation in sports clubs?

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of organizational climate (OC) (with its different dimensions) and type of category (international–national or regional–local) on innovation, also taking into account the level of competition in which the club participates. This paper also aims to analyze the effect of the type of category on the relationship between OC and innovation. This could provide new information in the sports sector and in the organizational area.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative research was chosen with a sample of 485 Spanish sports clubs. The statistical analyses carried out were descriptive, mean difference, correlations between studied variables and hierarchical regression models, with the statistical package SPSS 23.0 and the macro PROCESS.FindingsThe results showed that there are significant differences in innovation depending on the level of competition. There is a positive correlation between the dimensions of OC (training, formation, supervision, resources, safety and overall) and innovation. The OC dimensions that have the highest prediction of innovation in sports clubs are training and motivation, in sports clubs with regional–local and international–national level of competition.Practical implicationsThis paper provides information on the aspects that most influence innovation so that one can focus and pay more attention to some aspects over others.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the debate by offering a relationship of CB with innovation in the non-profit or associative sports sector. This provides organizational and entrepreneurial information to the sports environment.