Sport Sector Research Articles

Design, validation and psychometric properties of a questionnaire to assess intrapreneurial behaviours in sports organisations

Intrapreneurs in sports organisations can detect early signs of new opportunities and threats and introduce early changes to adapt to the constant changes in the sports sector. In addition, intrapreneurs are considered a fundamental pillar in the growth and development of innovation in sports organisations. Thus, the objective of this work is to design and validate an instrument to detect employees with intrapreneurial behaviours in sports organisations. Based on the dimensions of intrapreneurship identified in the scientific literature and related questionnaires, a tool—the COINDE—composed of 46 items distributed in five dimensions was constructed and subjected to expert judgment and a pilot study and subsequently reduced to 26 items and five statistically validated dimensions. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) yielded two valid and reliable models to detect employees with intrapreneurial behaviours in sports organisations, with 5 and 6 dimensions and 25 and 26 items, respectively. The 5-factor model is proposed and justified. The dimensions are: creativity/innovation, risk-taking, proactivity, recognition of opportunities and priority of the internal project. The COINDE is a valid and reliable instrument representing an important advance over the existing instruments by providing specificity of the measure in the sports context, the work profile of the employees of these organisations, and allowing direct evaluation of intrapreneurial behaviour.

Back to the Roots of Sports Management: 1980 Moscow and 1984 Los Angeles Organizing Committee of Olympic Games

This research aims to compare the 1980 Moscow and 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games (OG), which continued their activities in parallel with the ideologies of the two superpowers of the Cold War, the USA, and the USSR, with public and private sector sports management approaches. The research model is a comparative case study. The findings were reached by single and cross analysing the data sources, including OCOG's official reports. Moscow and Los Angeles OCOG activities were compared under organizational structure, facilities, financing, and expenditures headings. Despite the blurred lines of intersectoral distinction, Moscow OCOG (OCOG-80) stands out as a distinctively dominant example of the public sector and Los Angeles OCOG (LAOOC) LAOOC as a distinctively dominant example of the private sector sport management approach. Despite the contrasting approaches, both OCOGs have completed realizing an OG from the planning stage to the closing ceremony. The activities of the sports organizations that achieved this success by meeting the expectations of the state and the system to which they belonged demonstrated the importance of focusing on the positive effects on sports management success of the right people taking the steps that meet the needs, rather than a superiority comparison between the requirements of the private or public sector.

Latvian Sports Regulation in Transition: Navigating Historical Evolution and Contemporary Development Trends

This comprehensive analysis delves into the intricate realm of sports law and policies in Latvia, exploring the historical evolution, administrative framework, and policy landscapes that shape the country's sports sector. The text highlights Latvia's transition from the Centralized Soviet Model to a more autonomous sports system post-independence, reflecting the nation's historical context and pursuit of sporting excellence. It examines the interaction between EU regulations and internal sports governance, emphasizing the balance between market-regulating rules and legitimate sports governance. The study also discusses recent legislative amendments in response to geopolitical events that has shaken the Eastern Europe, such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, showcasing Latvia's proactive approach to safeguarding national interests and ethical standards in sports. Furthermore, insights into the implementation of National Anti-Doping Regulations underscore Latvia's commitment to maintaining integrity in sports. The administrative framework involving various stakeholders, including governmental bodies and non-governmental organizations, is analysed to provide a holistic view of sports policy planning and stakeholder engagement in Latvia. Overall, this research sheds light on the evolving landscape of sports law in Latvia and the country's efforts to promote athletic development, fair play, and good governance in sports. The findings will contribute to a deeper understanding of the factors and forces shaping the sports sector in the country. Keywords: sports law and geopolitics, sports governance, sports policies, EU sports law, Latvia

From league champion to community champion: Institutional entrepreneurship in Belgian soccer

Sport clubs traditionally focus on essential tasks such as organising local competitions, facilitating youth sport, and managing their volunteers. This primary focus can sometimes make it challenging to prioritise additional social initiatives such as developing more inclusive sports programs for disadvantaged communities. Despite the inherent difficulties, expanding the scope of sport clubs to embrace social inclusivity can significantly enhance their impact on both members and their local neighbourhoods. Central to addressing this social challenge are institutional entrepreneurs, who serve as exemplary sports clubs advocating the integration of both traditional responsibilities and social values within the sports sector. Recognising the pivotal role played by institutional entrepreneurs, this study aimed to delve deeper into the specific environmental characteristics and actions that trigger sport clubs to become an institutional entrepreneur. For this purpose, we applied the entrepreneurial model of Battilana, Leca & Boxenbaum (2009) . Employing a single-case study design, we focused on a Belgian amateur soccer club, conducting a comprehensive investigation through 22 semi-structured interviews. The findings yielded multiple interesting insights such as the role of the external environment (i.e., the competitive dynamics of soccer and the demographic shift in the club's neighbourhood) in initiating entrepreneurial initiatives. Furthermore, the role of an intrapreneur emerged from the data and proved to be a decisive characteristic in catalysing the call for advocating social values within the club. Consequently, this study contributes to the discussion on how entrepreneurial actions, initiated by the intrapreneur, can bring about social change in the field of sport clubs.

Influence of green practices on user loyalty in sport clubs

The sports industry contributes significantly to environmental degradation through its economic practices. As a result, there has been interest in reducing the impact through various initiatives in sectors such as sporting events, facility management, etc. However, these initiatives have not been studied in the sport sector, eluding the beneficial effects it could have on market positioning and user retention. Therefore, this study aims to assess the effect of green practices implemented by sports clubs on their users’ perceptions and loyalty. The GPSport and EPOD2 questionnaires were used on a total of 1732 users of 27 Spanish sports clubs, of whom 70% were men. In data processing, standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis were used for psychometric properties; Cronbach’s alpha, AVE, and CR were used for correlations between factors, and CMIN, DF, and CFI were used to test the invariance of the factor structure across user groups. Perceptions of the service were predominantly positive. The construct with the highest value was satisfaction (4.36 ± 0.73), followed by loyalty (4.19 ± 0.79), with green practices scoring the lowest (3.01 ± 0.94). Perceived quality was a significant and direct antecedent of satisfaction, while satisfaction was a significant and direct antecedent of loyalty, with the former relationship being the strongest. Green practices were directly and significantly related to perceived quality, predominantly indirectly related to satisfaction, and mostly directly related to loyalty. For female users, the relevance of green practices as an antecedent of perceived quality and satisfaction was significantly higher. The results obtained suggest that green practices are an added value that improves users’ perceptions, especially among females, justifying the use of marketing strategies based on the adoption of green practices.

Mental Resilience in Crisis: Examining the Mental Health and Well‐Being of Iranian Athletes During the COVID‐19 Pandemic

ABSTRACTThe pervasive impact of COVID‐19 and economic sanctions has significantly influenced the well‐being of Iranian athletes, leaving lasting imprints on both their physical and mental health. During this challenging time, this comprehensive study delves into the nuanced disparities among various cohorts of Iranian athletes across multiple dimensions, including insomnia severity, psychological distress, anxiety, depression, intrusive thoughts, life satisfaction, and hope. Stratifying the participants based on their professionalism level, age, education, sports activity engagement, and COVID‐19 infection status, our survey‐based findings from a cohort of 280 athletes reveal compelling insights: Male athletes exhibit higher levels of distress, anxiety, and depression compared to their female counterparts. Professional athletes manifest elevated psychological distress, anxiety, and depression in contrast to semi‐professional and amateur athletes. Insomnia severity is more prevalent among professional athletes, concurrently accompanied by higher levels of hope within this group. Young athletes and those with higher educational attainment report increased intrusive thoughts. Local and national athletes demonstrate higher levels of life satisfaction and hope compared to their international counterparts. Athletes not infected with Coronavirus experience heightened psychological distress compared to their COVID‐19‐infected counterparts. This nuanced exploration underscores the intricate interplay between various factors and their profound implications for the mental well‐being of Iranian athletes in the face of global health challenges and economic constraints. By recognizing the vulnerabilities exposed during the pandemic and sanctions, policymakers can work toward a more resilient and robust sports sector, ensuring that the mental health and psychosocial well‐being of athletes remain at the forefront of policy considerations.

The Experiences of Women Leaders in the Higher Education Sport Sector: Examining the Gendered Organization Through Bourdieu’s Model of Field, Capital and Habitus

This article is the first to examine experiences of women with leadership roles in the U.K. Higher Education sport sector. We carried out detailed interviews with women leaders. We utilized Bourdieu’s model of habitus, capital, and field; Acker’s concept of “gendered organizations;” and Shilling’s concept of physical capital. Our findings show Higher Education operates more inclusively than the wider sport sector, which has the potential to advance gender equality. However, gendered practices remain with women working harder to accumulate and convert capital. Motherhood negatively impacts conversion of capital and respondents without children felt this benefitted their career. Finally, we discuss the impact of menopause on the careers of women and suggest this can impact self-perception.

Orientation and Training of Human Resources in Sports Organizations

In the process, sports human resource management is closely related to procurement, training, evaluation, compensation, work relations, health, security and justice for individuals in an organization. Human resources in the field of sports play a very important role in the management of sports organizations to manage and create effective, efficient and systematic performance that supports the needs of sports people and creates conditions that enable these human resources to make optimal contributions to sports organizations. To create human resources in the field of sports that are superior in intellectual, moral, spiritual, competitiveness and professionalism aspects, good human resource management capabilities are needed through training and application of operational principles and functions. Orientation and training are very important in the organization's operational processes to develop human resource capabilities in the sports sector

Finding Most Important Criteria in Women's Empowerment for Sports Sector by Pentagonal Fuzzy DEMATEL Methodology

Finding Most Important Criteria in Women's Empowerment for Sports Sector by Pentagonal Fuzzy DEMATEL Methodology

Navigating the playing field: Reimagining the sports industry in the face of accelerated climate change

Does faster-than-expected climate change represent a feasible challenge or an irresolvable dilemma for the sports industry? This paper acknowledges the sports sector's environmental impact. It aims to challenge the prevailing belief in constant economic growth by proposing integrating Degrowth principles into sports to support the shift towards sustainable practices. The study presents an innovative participatory mixed-method technique that entailed backcasting and a Delphi survey involving 21 sports experts worldwide in a meaningful discussion about the strategic awareness of climate change. The discoveries emphasise the importance of (i) sharing resources and inclusive access (ii) adopting a community-centric and low-impact practices approach, in addressing climate change. The findings focus on the pressing requirement for the sports sector to take a proactive stance and could have a considerable impact on the ongoing debate about the need for a systemic overhaul of sports that draws upon the principles of ecological economics and Degrowth.

Technologies for Mechanical Recycling of Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymers (CFRP) Composites: End Mill, High-Energy Ball Milling, and Ultrasonication.

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites have very high specific properties, which is why they are used in the aerospace, wind power, and sports sectors. However, the high consumption of CFRP compounds leads to a high volume of waste, and it is necessary to formulate mechanical recycling strategies for these materials at the end of their useful life. The recycling differences between cutting-end mills and high-energy ball milling (HEBM) were evaluated. HEBM recycling allowed us to obtain small recycled particles, but separating their components, carbon fiber, epoxy resin, and CFRP particles, was impossible. In the case of mill recycling, these were obtained directly from cutting a CFRP composite laminate. The recycled materials resulted in a combination of long fibers and micrometric particles-a sieving step allowed for more homogeneous residues. Although long, individual carbon fibers can pass through the sieve. Ultrasonication did not significantly affect HEBM recyclates because of the high energy they are subjected to during the grinding process, but it was influential on end mill recyclates. The ultrasonication amplitude notably impacted the separation of the epoxy resin from the carbon fiber. The end mill and HEBM waste production process promote the presence of trapped air and electrostatics, which allows recyclates to float in water and be hydrophobic.

Leveraging Digitalization for Enhanced Publication and Marketing of Sports Services

Sports institutions in Indonesia have yet to fully embrace digital channels for disseminating and promoting their services to the public. Despite some institutions engaging in digital publication through mainstream social media platforms, the existing features fail to comprehensively address the requirements of the sports sector. This study aims to assess the efficacy of publication and marketing efforts by digitizing sports institutions via the SHC app, purposefully designed for the sports sector's publication needs. Employing a qualitative approach, data were collected from 108 sports institution managers utilizing the SHC app. Data collection entailed the use of a Likert scale questionnaire ranging from 1 to 5. Validity of the data was tested through Pearson Product Moment analysis, and reliability was evaluated using Cronbach Alpha. Subsequently, the data underwent quantitative descriptive analysis and Spearman Rank correlation analysis. Findings reveal that all features within the SHC app significantly impact and foster strong relationships in the publication and marketing endeavors of sports institutions. In summary, the SHC app proves highly conducive to the digitalization of sports institutions, significantly enhancing their publication and marketing initiatives. Keywords: digitalization of sports, publication, marketing, sports services, shc app

The role of external review in enhancing tax planning practices for investment agencies and companies in the sports sector and its impact on the Saudi economy

The role of external review in enhancing tax planning practices for investment agencies and companies in the sports sector and its impact on the Saudi economy

INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR DATA PROCESSING IN SPORTS USING THE RANDOM FOREST METHOD

A huge amount of data is collected and generated in modern sports. This data can be used to improve athletes' performance, make more informed coaching and strategic decisions, and increase fan engagement. However, processing, analyzing, and interpreting this data can be challenging. This article is devoted to the development of an information system for data processing in the sports sector using the random forest method. The system aims to ensure efficient collection, processing, and analysis of large amounts of data generated during sports competitions, training, and interaction with fans and other stakeholders. Research methods. This article proposes an information system (IS) for data processing in the sports industry using the Random Forest (RF) method. As one of the machine learning methods, it is well suited for working with large amounts of data and complex classification and prediction tasks. The proposed IS consists of three main components. The data collection module accumulates data from various sources such as sensors, GPS trackers, websites, and social networks. The data processing module cleans, normalizes, and transforms the data to prepare it for analysis. The data analysis module uses the RF method to analyze data, predict outcomes, identify patterns, and make decisions. The conducted research has shown that the proposed IS can be an effective tool for predicting the results of sports competitions with high accuracy, identifying patterns in the data that can be useful for coaches and athletes to improve their training and strategy, personalizing training programs and recommendations for athletes, increasing the level of fan engagement by providing them with personalized content and forecasts. The proposed IS based on the random forest method is a powerful tool for processing and analyzing data in the sports industry. Its use can lead to improved athletes' performance, more informed coaching and strategic decisions, and increased fan engagement. One of the most powerful and accurate machine learning methods, the random forest method, allows for reliable analysis and forecasting based on various types of data, including player statistics, match results, physiological indicators, and fan behavior data. The article describes the stages of creating an information system: from data collection to data processing, storage, and analysis.

The Effect of Applying Business Incubators on Enhancing the Innovative Performance of Investment and Privatization Projects in Saudi Sports Clubs

The importance of the new business systems that work on developing the concept of institutional support for the new projects has emerged. Within this context, business incubators are considered one of the most effective and successful systems in implementing development programs and supporting creativity and innovation. Therefore, business incubators have become on the list of development priorities and the formation of new projects. The purpose of the study was to identify the effect of applying business incubators on enhancing the innovative performance of investment and privatization projects in Saudi sports clubs, to achieve the objective of the study, the descriptive approach (survey study method) was used. Some officials of the Ministry of Sports, chairmen and members of sports club councils, executive directors, activity managers, financial managers, and members of various committees participated in the study. The study population categories were used to select the study sample intentionally. Two questionnaires were used to obtain data from (430) participants in the study. The results showed that there is an effect of applying business incubators on enhancing the innovative performance of investment and privatization projects in Saudi sports clubs. Business incubators can be applied to support the innovative performance of investment and privatization projects in sports clubs. However, the study also highlighted challenges and barriers faced by business incubators in the Saudi sports sector, such as a lack of awareness, insufficient logistical support, limited resources, and a shortage of skilled individuals. The absence of regulations governing incubator operations further hampers their progress. The study also provides insight into the implications of the application of business incubators to enhance innovative performance and future directions.

Optimizing sports development: Identifying and prioritizing key indicators for professional and competitive sports

This study aimed to analyze the impact of professional and competitive sports on overall sports development, with a specific focus on identifying and prioritizing key indicators influencing sports development in these domains. To achieve this objective, a mixed-methods approach was employed, combining qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys. During the qualitative phase, experts were interviewed to determine the critical indicators for each component, while the quantitative phase involved surveys of sports managers and professors to collect data on the identified indicators. The findings of the study revealed that talent identification emerged as the foremost priority for competitive sports, underscoring its crucial role in fostering success in this realm. On the other hand, organizational effectiveness was identified as a critical factor for professional sports development. The quantitative results obtained provided empirical evidence that supported and reinforced the qualitative insights derived from the study. In the context of competitive sports, the study identified the development of systematic talent identification and youth nurturing platforms as the most vital requirement. Conversely, in the professional sports sector, enhancing organizational capabilities, governance, and commercial strategies were recognized as the top priorities. These results serve to emphasize the necessity for tailored strategies, investments, and policies that are specifically designed to enhance organizational effectiveness in professional sports and maximize talent identification in competitive sports. The evidence-based understanding of sports development priorities gained from this study holds the potential to foster a vibrant sporting culture that encompasses both grassroots participation and elite achievements.

Advances in hybrid aluminium metal matrix composite produced by stir casting route: A review on applications and fabrication characteristics

The sustained demand for lightweight parts, superior strength, and high-efficiency products has made material researchers interested to study and explore new materials with superior properties. One of the most promising materials for meeting this demand is aluminium metal matrix composite. Due to its tailored properties, the usage of composite is currently increasing in the automotive, aerospace, marine, electronic, defence, domestic, and sports sectors. Simplicity, affordability, and bulk production in the stir casting method have attracted the attention of many researchers across the globe. This paper reviews the need for hybrid aluminium metal matrix composites, various aluminium alloys, and reinforcement materials produced by the stir casting technique. In addition, the applications, morphological, mechanical, and tribological behavior of aluminium hybrid metal matrix composites are discussed. This review will assist materials researchers in selecting the matrix and reinforcements for a specific application of aluminium matrix composites using the stir casting route.

Physical Activity Policies at National and Subnational Levels: A Study in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Mexico.

National physical activity (PA) policy processes are only beginning to be studied in Latin America, and little attention has focused at the subnational level. This study examined national-subnational relations in the policy process (agenda setting, policy formulation, adoption, implementation, and evaluation) in selected Latin American countries. The Global Observatory for Physical Activity's (GoPA!) INTEGRATE-PA-Pol tool was applied in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Mexico. Data were collected in matched pairs of the capital plus one noncapital city among national and subnational policymakers (n = 27), previously identified by the GoPA! Country Contacts. PA policy development and implementation were assessed using descriptive statistics. Twenty-three (response rate = 85.2%) informants provided data, mainly from the health sector (52.2%), followed by the sport (26.1%), transport (13.0%), and education (8.7%) sectors. Most informants reported that their countries had a current PA policy embedded within noncommunicable diseases prevention plans (46.2%), other plans (46.2%), or obesity prevention/management/control plans (7.7%). Respondents at the subnational level rated PA promotion as central (64.3%), while the national-level role was important but not central (75.0%). National and subnational policymakers indicated low-to-little involvement in the other level's PA policy processes across the 5 policy stages. This study demonstrated that collecting national and subnational PA policy data across countries with the active collaboration of the GoPA! network was feasible. We also successfully identified governmental interactions throughout the PA policy process, suggesting suboptimal engagement between national and subnational levels.

Business strategy of for-profit-oriented sports enterprises in Hungary

AbstractMany sports organisations operate as non-profits, but the emphasis and role of for-profits in this sector cannot be avoided. Today, sports activities are connected to the business sector and generate profit, hence, sports sector is a decisive part of the economy. Sport profile companies differ in their organisational strategy formulation approach. The main focus was to learn more about their strategy approach and market behaviour. 350 sports business organisations were involved in a survey of 3,248 companies, and the Chi-square test, variance analysis, and principal component analysis were applied to the sample. Results showed that 75.7% of the responding sports companies had no written strategic plan. The availability of written strategies seemed to depend on the organisation's scale. The market-following behaviour was confirmed in the case of smaller sports enterprises. Fitness service providers appeared to follow a market-leading behaviour. Growth, investment, and development naturally emerged as essential factors for companies with higher sales revenue and operating sports facilities, and they were relatively less important in sports goods production and trade. Most of the results showed that in the sports business sector, large-scale organisations focus on strategic-related issues more than other players in the industry.

Opportunities to Increase the Resilience of Sports Organisations Through Risk Management

In today's highly globalised world, organisations face a range of risks and challenges on a daily basis. Much of this is determined by the environment in which organisations do business and operate. With the rapid development of sport as a phenomenon of modern times, the impact of such an environment on the business of sport organisations is growing. Thus, in order to meet their objectives, sports organisations are forced to look for ways and tools that will enable them to face new challenges and survive in such an environment. This study will therefore focus on the analysis of the current state of the sports sector, the analysis of the significant influences acting on sports organisations and the importance of implementing elements of risk management in the field of sports business as an important tool for increasing the resilience of sports organisations. The aim is to create a framework overview of the current state of the issue and to identify opportunities for improving the resilience of sports organisations. By being prepared to face future risks, it is possible to ensure the sustainable development of sport organisations, which represent a significant social and economic position in contemporary society.