Sport Sector Research Articles

To Buy or Not to Buy: How Behavioral Habits Affect the Repurchase Intention of Cobranded Wearable Fitness Technology

Luxury sports products and brands in general have seen a significant increase in their sales, highlighting the high consumption of smart sports watches. The purpose of this study is to investigate the mediating role of cobranding, self-presentation, self-expression, and symbolic values in the relationship between the consumer’s need for uniqueness and the intention to repurchase luxury smart sports watches. The sample consisted of a total of 217 users of smart sports watches. An online questionnaire was used for data collection (24 items from 6 scales) and Smart PLS-SEM software was used for confirmatory factor analysis and to test a structural equation model. The findings provide an insight into the importance of cobranding on self-expression, self-presentation, and symbolic value. Specifically, in the case of intention to repurchase, the results show that symbolic value is the variable with the highest predictive value. This study provides an important advance in the academic literature related to luxury products in the sports sector, and the results facilitate a better understanding of the consumer’s intention to repurchase.

دور الإدارة الرياضية في تحسين عمل المنشأة الرياضية بدولة الکويت

هدفت الدراسة الى التعرف على اذ ما کانت للإدارة الرياضية دور في تحسين تسيير المنشآت الرياضية، وذلک من خلال الاجابة على مجموعة من التساؤلات، هل للتخطيط دور في تحسين تسيير المنشآت الرياضية؟، هل للتنظيم دور في تحسين تسيير المنشآت الرياضية؟، هل للرقابة دور في تحسين تسيير المنشآت الرياضية؟، حيث تم استخدام الاستبيان بالتطبيق على عينة البحث المتکونة من 30 اداري ممن يعملون داخل المنشاة الرياضية (نادي سلوى، والقادسية) بدولة الکويت وتم اختيارهم بالطريقة العشوائية، مستخدما المنهج الوصفي، وتم التوصل الى مجموعة من الاستنتاجات، انعدام المؤهلات الکافية لدى المسيرين والنقص الملحوظ في الإطارات الرياضية من إداريين ومسيرين في هذا الجمال مما أدى إلى اللجوء إلى إداريين ومسيرين يفتقرون إلى التأهيل والتأطير العلمي والأساليب الحديثة في مجال الإدارة والتسيير مما أدى إلى ذلک إلى استعمال طرق بدائية لا يمکن أن تصنع شيء في التقدم وتحسن في تسيير المنشآت الرياضية، انعدام وجود استراتيجية العمل من خلال تخطيط التنظيم رقابة توجيهية، ويرجع ذلک عادة إلى کون المسير قليل الفکرة وبعيد عن التأهيل العلمي فلا يلجأ إلى استخدام أساليب علمية حديثة لأنه لا يدرک أهمية التخطيط والتنظيم والرقابة في المجال العلمي والعملي وطرق التسيير الحديث، کما أوصت الدراسة أن يتولى قيادة القطاعات الرياضية والمنشآت متخصصون في مجال التسيير الإداري والتکوين في قطاع الرياضة، على المدير انتهاج السبل والوظائف الملائمة لتسيير الأمثل للمنشآت الرياضية، وضع إدارة رياضية تهتم بتکوين الإطارات في مجال التسيير والإدارة، تشجيع الأفکار الجديدة المفيدة لتحسين التسيير النابعة في الأفراد العاملين في المنشأة الرياضية وعلى کافة المستويات، تسطير برامج عمل يضمن وضع آليات واضحة المعالم تستند إلى منهجية علمية بحتة تأخذ بعين الاعتبار جميع العوائق والمسببات التي تعيق تسيير المنشأة study aimed to identify whether the sports administration had a role in improving the running of sports facilities, by answering a set of questions, does planning have a role in improving the running of sports facilities? Does the organization have a role in improving the running of sports facilities ?, Does control have a role in Improving the management of sports facilities ?, where the questionnaire was used by applying the research sample consisting of 30 administrators who work within the sports facility (Salwa Club and Qadisiyah) in the State of Kuwait and they were chosen randomly, using the descriptive approach, and a set of conclusions were reached, lack of sufficient qualifications Among the managers and the noticeable lack of sports tires, including administrators and managers in this beauty, which led to the resort to administrators and managers who lack training, scientific framing and modern methods in the field of management and management, which led to the use of primitive methods that can not make anything in progress and improvement in the management of facilities In sports, the lack of a work strategy through organizational planning and directive control, and this is usually due to the fact that the march has little idea and far from scientific qualification, so it does not resort to the use of a Modern scientific methods because he does not understand the importance of planning, organizing and controlling in the scientific and practical field and modern management methods. The study also recommended that the leadership of the sports sectors and establishments be led by specialists in the field of administrative management and training in the sports sector. The director should pursue the appropriate methods and functions for the optimal management of sports facilities, and set management A sports organization that is interested in forming frameworks in the field of management and administration, encouraging new ideas that are beneficial to improve the management of individuals working in the sports facility at all levels, and laying out work programs that ensure the development of clear-cut mechanisms based on a purely scientific methodology that takes into account all obstacles and causes that hinder the running of the facility

Attitudes of Sport Organization Officials toward Links between the Sports Sector, Sports Industry, and Knowledge Organizations with Innovations in Montenegrin Sport

Attitudes of Sport Organization Officials toward Links between the Sports Sector, Sports Industry, and Knowledge Organizations with Innovations in Montenegrin Sport

Innovation configurations in sport clusters: The role of interorganizational citizenship and social capital

Innovation plays a central role in the sports sector. However, delivering innovative solutions is increasingly becoming a network-level phenomenon, reinforcing the need to understand the network-level dynamics. This research explores this phenomenon by building on two complementary theoretical foundations: interorganizational citizenship behavior (ICB) and social capital. The research aims to understand how different configurations of dimensions of social capital and interorganizational citizenship behavior facilitate product and process innovation. The research uses data from a horse industry cluster in France and applies fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), a method developed explicitly for configurational analysis. The results unveil a series of configurations leading to both product and process innovation. The findings show that the different dimensions of ICB and social capital have both positive and negative impacts on innovation. Moreover, the results chart multiple paths to innovation and highlight differences between product and process innovation in sports clusters.

Commercial sport organisations and community capacity building: a case study of two surf parks

ABSTRACT Commercial sector sport organisations increasingly lead innovation in sport delivery and consumption. Despite this, the ways in which sport contributes to community capacity building and sport-for-development has only ever been considered from public and third sector perspectives. Using a qualitative dual case study approach in the commercial surf park context, this research examined how commercial sport organisations can contribute to community capacity building. The findings demonstrate how partnerships among commercial, public and third sector actors encouraged mutual organisational capacity building among partners, facilitated diverse inter-community ties and capacity building outcomes in the wider community. Recognising the role commercial sport actors can play in community capacity building, and equally, the potential utility of lifestyle sports in sport-for-development, engenders a more inclusive, holistic understanding of sport-for development. The findings support the contention that effective community capacity building through sport requires sport actors to align more with less-traditional partners not ordinarily considered part of the recognised sport system.

Metallisation of Textiles and Protection of Conductive Layers: An Overview of Application Techniques.

The rapid growth in wearable technology has recently stimulated the development of conductive textiles for broad application purposes, i.e., wearable electronics, heat generators, sensors, electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, optoelectronic and photonics. Textile material, which was always considered just as the interface between the wearer and the environment, now plays a more active role in different sectors, such as sport, healthcare, security, entertainment, military, and technical sectors, etc. This expansion in applied development of e-textiles is governed by a vast amount of research work conducted by increasingly interdisciplinary teams and presented systematic review highlights and assesses, in a comprehensive manner, recent research in the field of conductive textiles and their potential application for wearable electronics (so called e-textiles), as well as development of advanced application techniques to obtain conductivity, with emphasis on metal-containing coatings. Furthermore, an overview of protective compounds was provided, which are suitable for the protection of metallized textile surfaces against corrosion, mechanical forces, abrasion, and other external factors, influencing negatively on the adhesion and durability of the conductive layers during textiles’ lifetime (wear and care). The challenges, drawbacks and further opportunities in these fields are also discussed critically.

The Relationship Between Innovation Skill and Entrepreneurship on Bachelor Students of Sports Education

It is a fact that the concept of innovation, which is a necessity in every field today, is now indispensable in the sports sector. Especially, it is thought that determining the relationship between the innovation skills of the students in sports education institutions and the entrepreneurship of the students who are candidates to work in the sports sector is important in the development of innovation awareness of the students who will work in this field in the future. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between innovation and entrepreneurship skills of individuals who receive sports education according to different variables. The study group was formed by the voluntary participation of 240 people, 161 males (67.1%) 79 females (32.9%), studying at the School of Physical Education and Sports at Istanbul Gelişim University, and selected by the purposeful sampling method. In addition to the personal information form, the Individual Innovativeness Scale (IIS) developed by Hurt et al. (1977) and adapted into Turkish by Sarıoğlu (2014), and the Entrepreneurship Scale (ES) developed by Yılmaz and Sünbül (2009) to measure the entrepreneurship levels of university students were used as data collection tools. After the data showed normal distribution, T-Test, ANOVA and Pearson Correlation Test were used in the analyses, and the Tukey test was used to determine the difference between the groups. According to the results, it was determined that the innovation skills and entrepreneurship levels of the individuals’ varied according to different variables. As a result, it was determined that as the innovation skills of students studying at institutions providing sports education increased, their level of entrepreneurship also increased.

Examining the Perceived Sports Literacy of Physical Education Teachers, Trainers and Sports Managers in Terms of Various Variables

Introduction and Purpose: UNESCO stated that literacy in the most general sense should include not only reading and writing, but also components of knowledge, thinking, communication, language, culture, and social practice (as cited in Lounsbery & McKenzie 2015). The main purpose of this study is to examine the perceived sports literacy of physical education teachers, trainers, and sports managers in terms of various variables. Furthermore, the validity and reliability level of the scale used in the study, developed by Sum et al., (2016) and adapted into Turkish by Ülker (2019), is examined in the subject group.Method: 103 physical education teachers, 55 trainers and 28 sports managers working in Manisa participated in the study. The “Perceived Sports Literacy Scale” (PSLS) and “Personal Information Form” were used to obtain the data. The data were evaluated using the Mann-Whitney test and Kruskal-Wallis test, internal consistency for reliability, and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) for construct validity.Results: The gender and team supporter variables did not make a difference to PSLS scores. PSLS scores in all sub-dimensions were found to be higher and significant for those who did regular physical activity (RPA) compared to those who did not, while “confidence in psychomotor knowledge and ability” and “communication and lifelong sports consciousness” scores of trainers were found to be higher and significant compared to those of other occupational groups. As a result of the EFA and CFA analysis, it was seen that the scale was divided into 17 items and 3 sub-dimensions.Conclusion: It was concluded that doing RFA and being a trainer were effective in having higher PSLS scores than those of other participants, while the gender and team supporter variables were ineffective. The scale is a measurement tool that provides psychometric qualities to measure the sports literacy levels of sports sector employees.

Predicting entrepreneurial intentions of sports sciences students: A cross-cultural approach

The importance of entrepreneurship in the sports sector has risen recently. However, few studies analyze the determinants of entrepreneurial intentions with sport sciences students using a cross-cultural approach. This study aims to determine the entrepreneurial potential of sports sciences students and analyze the influence of national culture on sports sciences students' entrepreneurial intentions determinants. The sample is composed of 356 university students from Spain and Portugal. A multi-group analysis with PLS-SEM was performed to analyze the data. The results show that sports sciences students have favorable attitudes towards entrepreneurship and a supportive closed environment to be an entrepreneur. Concerning the national culture effect on the determinants of the entrepreneurial intention, statistically significant differences in the variable perceived behavioral control, with greater influence on Portuguese students' entrepreneurial intentions. However, in Spanish and Portuguese sport sciences students, attitude towards entrepreneurship is the most important antecedent. These findings present implications for developing policies to foster sports entrepreneurship at universities.

Medya ve Kültürel İnançların Türkiye’de Kadınların Spora Katılımı Üzerindeki Etkisi: Profesyonel Sporda Türk Kadınlarının Karşılaştığı Zorluklar

The fight for gender equality in Turkey extends as far as the sports sector of the economy. Although Turkey has recently seen a fast rise in the participation of women in sports, female athletes are still being marginalized for many reasons. The alarming levels of discrimination discourage females from entering into professional sports in Turkey and have inhibited the growth of the female sports sector in Turkey. This research aims to examine the different roles women have to take with emphasis on explaining the relationship between sports and politics in modern Turkey. The present study explores Turkish women's specific constraints and challenges in professional Sports. Qualitative data were generated from semi-structured interviews conducted with 142 female athletes (both amateur and professionals) across different cities in Turkey. The findings of the study indicate that family influence (χ= 4.39 of 5), wage inequality (χ = 4.31 of 5), media misrepresentation (χ = 4.16 of 5), inadequate sports facilities for women (χ = 4.12 of 5) and high levels of sexual harassment (χ = 3.89 of 5) are the constraints that must be addressed to improve the climate for female participation in sports significantly. The study highlights how these physical activities and sports programs play essential roles in increasing awareness of their importance and improving the overall perception of women in sports in Turkey.

Developing an elite sports’ public value proposition in Northern Netherlands

ABSTRACT Research question The societal impact of elite sports attracts increasing attention in academia and sport policy. In this paper, we show how public value management theory enhances the understanding of the way social impacts can be created and supported. We answer the research question: how do policy makers in the Northern Netherlands develop a public value proposition in order to legitimise investments in the elite sports management environment? Research methods Data for this article were gathered from January 2019 to February 2020 using a qualitative fieldwork approach and from the study of policy documents. The first fieldwork phase entailed an exploratory study using focus groups and one-to-one meetings (n = 24). In the second research phase, the focus shifted towards an action-based design, employing four focus group sessions (n = 22). For the final phase, a group of civil servants and decision makers convened in four working sessions. Results and Findings We show that (1) the funding of elite sport in the Northern Netherlands incorporated within broader talent development opportunities legitimises investments, (2) these investments need to go hand in hand with active stakeholder management and (3) these investments hold particular significance in regions with peripheral characteristics. Implications This study provides public sector sports managers with a framework in which they can increase the societal impact of elite sports by developing public value propositions. This article contributes to the concretisation of public value theory by detailing how public value propositions are drafted and re-drafted to engage a coalition of supporters in the authorising environment.

Finding consensus on indicators for organizational climate capacity in sport

ABSTRACT Rationale: As climate change presents organizations with unpredictable challenges, including damages, losses, and cancelations resulting from climate hazards, research into climate vulnerability and resilience in the sport sector is urgently needed. Approach: This study used a consensus-seeking method with 25 experts from 3 disciplines to identify indicators for organizational resilience. Findings: The three-round iterative process resulted in a list of 77 indicators organized into 6 dimensions: infrastructural resources, natural resources, planning and development resources, human resources, financial resources, and network and relationship resources. The highest importance and representativeness scores were associated with the planning and development dimension, indicating the salience of proactive approaches, planning frameworks, goal setting, measurement and monitoring of progress toward goals, and worst-case-scenario planning for overall resilience. Practical implications: The list of indicators can serve as a prompt for managers to assess climate resilience and begin the process of developing and strengthening response capacities. Research contribution: This study contributes to the growing body of sport ecology research and offers a preliminary list of indicators from which researchers might further develop measures of climate resilience. Additionally, the findings of this study confirm the salience of adaptive capacity and organizational capacity as central theoretical constructs underscoring climate resilience.

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites Doped with Graphene Oxide in Light of Spectroscopic Studies.

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites are a dynamically developing group of lightweight composites for applications in the automotive, wind energy, aerospace, and sports sectors. Interfacial connection is the weakest place in these materials. In this study, an attempt was made to improve adhesion between carbon fiber and epoxy resin. For this purpose, nanoparticles of graphene oxide were added to a polymer matrix. The results of the three-point bend test showed that the strength of samples with added graphene oxide increased. Improvement of adhesion between components, reduction of the pull-out effect and change in the method of crack propagation were observed. An attempt was made to explain this effect using spectroscopic methods, both IR and Raman. On the basis of the obtained results, chemical bonds between the individual components of the composites were identified.

The state and sport in Trinidad and Tobago, 1947–2019

ABSTRACT This article examines the transition of the Trinidad and Tobago State from a minimalist role in the development of sport to a more interventionist one in the period 1947–2019 based on documentary sources, while also examining some of the social, political and economic factors that facilitated or shaped this process. To this end, it is structured around two broad periods, a colonial period marked by British rule and a post-colonial period after independence was granted in 1962, which is itself sub divided into 4 periods. In examining this transition, particular attention is paid to the early arms-length, almost apolitical approach of the state to sport, the role of foreign business companies, civil society and the gradual change towards sport following political independence in relation to its (re)positioning in the State apparatus, policy formulation, implementation, funding and facility development. The consequences of greater State involvement in sport in relation to the (over)dependence of the non-profit sector on state funding, the priority given to elite sport and the management of billion dollar sport facilities are also interrogated, together with the ongoing issues of the under-involvement of the local private sector in sport, the lack of sport research and the governance of some of the various National Sport Organizations (NSOs).

Professional sports work in times of geopolitical crises: experiences in men’s basketball in Ukraine

ABSTRACT Purpose: Professional sport is distinct employment shaped by organisational and managerial relations, stakeholder involvements, performance imperatives, contextual forces and precarities. Such employment has raised questions regarding work, employment sustainability and careers. The purpose of this article was to examine experiences of sports workers in men’s professional basketball during the geopolitical conflict in Ukraine and highlight ways working conditions are negotiated in adverse contexts. Research methods: A case study approach that utilised semi-structured interviews was applied to enquire about the daily events, activities and related emotion as recalled by sports workers in men’s professional basketball in Ukraine during the geopolitical conflict. Findings: The examination reveals issues related to institutional/organisational, community and individual sustainability of the sport sector when faced with geopolitical crises. While turbulent events may unsettle sports workers, these sports workers demonstrated an ability to respond to the situation, mitigate adverse consequences, and sustain their careers. Practical implications: This work is of value those in sport organisations seeking to understand employees’ experiences and actions during periods of uncertainty, and how individual career continuity relates to organisational sustainability. Implications: Our approach advances understandings about sustainable organisational support and resources, and contingency planning in relation to navigating unforeseen events that arise in sports workers’ careers.

Analyzing and Exploring the Impact of Big Data Analytics in Sports Sector

Big data are the first-ever use of data and statistics enabling us to make effective decisions in professional sports. The primary focus of the research paper is to evaluate how the use of big data has benefited sports. The research work conducted in the paper focuses on extracting information from the constructed database as per user requirements. Two different databases have been constructed by gathering data from espncricinfo.com. The first database consists of the records of batsmen comprising 16 attributes relevant to the international career of the batsmen. The second database contains records of bowlers involving 18 attributes relevant to the international career of the bowlers. The research paper encompasses a detailed flowchart and an algorithm detailing the systematic approach followed to mine required data from the database. The research has been conducted focusing to come up with a user-friendly tool that would offer optimal results via simplified scripts and queries in tabular and visualization form. The research enables any cricket fan or a layman to mine the information in which he/she is interested. The research paper elaborates on the use of the Hortonworks Hue 2.2.0 framework in analyzing the gathered data and extracting information via appropriate tools of the framework as per need. The screenshots included in the research work enable the general masses to have insight into the workflow of the conducted research and to gain a better understanding of performing different functions on different tools. As compared to past research, the research work does not make use of any statistical tools which are difficult to understand and work upon. The constructed database is made available to the framework and the queries and scripts are formatted to get results in tabular and graphical form. The research work enables coaches and instructors to select the best batsmen and outstanding bowlers to construct a strong team via mining the relevant databases and come out with the best outcome. The research work even enables general masses to build their teams after analyzing the past performance of different batsmen and bowlers and construct their teams and participate in fantasy gaming platforms like Dream11, MyTeam11, Howzat, etc. The research paper illustrates the work conducted on sentiment analysis using Python and Java programming languages to predict the popularity of batsmen or bowlers via word cloud to get a deep insight into the public opinion regarding upcoming tournaments based on past performances of the players and the teams.

The Impact of Gelora Manahan Solo Renovation on Persis Solo Potential Sport Tourism

Football is an extraordinary type of tourism in the sports sector which is very popular in the world, which the matches of football teams being tourist attraction objects that provide benefits for the organizers of the competition and the football club itself. Indonesian football competition has been participated by many professional teams, one of them is PERSIS Solo who participated in league 2. This research aims to analyze the potential interest in PERSIS Solo sports tourism in Surakarta after the renovation program of the Manahan Solo Stadium. This type of research is descriptive qualitative. The analysis method uses SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats). Internal environment analysis will focus on strengths and weaknesses, while the external environment will be the focus on opportunities and threats. The results showed that PERSIS Solo was in the quadrant I position, so the management of the club could take a policy with utilizing the strength of the internal environment to maximize existing market opportunities. Keywords:Football Sport, Persis Solo, SWOT Analysis, Special Interest Tourism

Performance Management Practices in the Sport Sector: An Examination of 32 Scottish National Sport Organizations

Although many studies state the benefits of performance management systems within the sport sector, there has been little research regarding the practical application and suitability of these systems. This study aims to answer this gap by analyzing national sport organizations' performance management models and practices. A qualitative analysis of 32 Scottish national sport organizations’ strategic plans has been undertaken followed up by four interviews of governing body’s representatives and one focus group including eight participants within the Scottish sport system. Ten common performance dimensions, twenty strategic objectives and forty-two key performance indicators were identified. Findings show that the performance management practices of Scottish national sport organizations were affected by institutional pressures, making the use of performance management systems an institutionalized practice. Though, national sport organizations showed pragmatic autonomy by ordinating their behaviors and practices for their own organizational gain, taking advantage of their dependent position when opportunities present themselves such as securing funding.

Audiovisual piracy in the football industry

Audiovisual rights in the sports sector require effective and rapid protection as their value lies in live transmission. This paper discusses digital piracy at the global level, using practical examples from LaLiga — the private sports association responsible for organising professional football competitions in Spain. Giving special mention to Spanish law, the author explores the legal concepts surrounding this issue. This paper also describes key technological aspects of the problem in order to help readers understand how certain technologies and illegal platforms work.

The added value of using the HEPA PAT for physical activity policy monitoring: a four-country comparison

BackgroundPublic policy is increasingly recognized as an important component of physical activity promotion. This paper reports on the current status of physical activity policy development and implementation in four European countries based on the Health-Enhancing Physical Activity Policy Audit Tool (HEPA PAT) developed by WHO. It compares the findings to previous studies and discusses the general utility of this tool and its unique features in relation to other instruments.MethodsThe study was conducted as part of the Policy Evaluation Network (www.jpi-pen.eu) in Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and Poland. Data collection built upon information obtained via the EU Physical Activity Monitoring Framework survey, additional desk research and expert opinion. Data analysis employed Howlett’s policy cycle framework to map and compare national physical activity policies in the four countries.ResultsIn all countries under study, policy agenda-setting is influenced by prevalence data from national health monitoring systems, and the sport and/or health sector takes the lead in policy formulation. Key policy documents were located mainly in the health sector but also in sport, urban design and transport. Physical activity programmes implemented to meet policy objectives usually cover a broad range of target groups, but currently only a small selection of major policies are evaluated for effectiveness. National experts made several suggestions to other countries wishing to establish physical activity policies, e.g. regarding cross-sectoral support and coordination, comprehensive national action plans, and monitoring/surveillance.ConclusionsThis study provides a detailed overview of physical activity policies in the four countries. Results show that national governments are already very active in the field but that there is room for improvement in a number of areas, e.g. regarding the contribution of sectors beyond sport and health. Using the HEPA PAT simultaneously in four countries also showed that procedures and timelines have to be adapted to national contexts. Overall, the instrument can make an important contribution to understanding and informing physical activity policy, especially when used as an add-on to regular monitoring tools like the EU HEPA Monitoring Framework.