Sport Management Journal
Year:2009 | Volume:- | Issue:2|Papers Count:19

The purpose of this study was to investigate the motives of participants in sport for all in Rasht city. 3000 individuals participated in exercises and sports in eight centers of sport for all out of which 700 participants were selected as the sample. The instrument of this study was a researcher-made questionnaire which consisted of 30 closed questions. These questions measured 5 major motives of participation in sport for all and other reasons by 5-point Likert scale. The reliability of the questionnaire was approved by the experts (r=0.95). The validity was determined by Cronbach's alpha. All questionnaires were distributed in the mornings, evenings, and at nights and filled out and collected by the researcher after 30 minutes. The results were analyzed by T-test and ANOVA (the LSD post hoc test and Spearman test) (P£0.05). The results indicated that the motives of “health care and fitness” and “pleasure and enjoyment” occupied the first place. “Improvement in occupational and life relationships”, “prevention and treatment of diseases” and “social interaction” occupied the next place. Women gained more scores than men in all motives and married participants had higher personal reasons to participate in these activities.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the empowerment indices in sport coaches in Urmia. This research was a survey and a field study. Multistage random sampling was used. The data were gathered by a standard questionnaire of empowerment index evaluation (D. Scott & T. Jaffe): the reliability=94.2% and validity=90.5%. The sample included 155 male and female sport coaches who were selected from 491 coaches in Urmia. Results showed that total empowerment index was 71.6% (a high and very high level). An increase in coaching career and educational level resulted in a significant decrease in identification, appreciation and job health (P<0.05). Coaches' morale level was the most effective and communication development was the least effective factor in total empowerment index (P<0.001, b=0.22, 0.1).

The purpose of this study was to assess barriers of volunteers in sport associations of universities. The method applied in this research was descriptive-correlation. The statistical population consisted of non-volunteer students in sport associations of Iran universities. 250 students from 25 universities were selected as subjects by the random clustered sampling method. A researcher-made questionnaire was used to collect data. The content and face validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by expert university panel. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used to test the reliability of the questionnaire (a=0.92). Factor analysis with varimax rotation was used to analyze the data. 14 variables were selected and classified into two categories: personal barriers and organizational barriers. A 5-point Likert scale was used to determine the significance of the variables. The results showed that the important barriers were academic commitment (3.69+1.14; mean+SD) and lack of time (3.58+1.12). The most important barrier was health problems and illness (2.46+1.21). This study suggested that personal and organizational barriers play a role as the reasons why individuals do not volunteer in sport associations of universities. Although many barriers which influence the decision to volunteer are personal in nature and are not directly controlled by organizations, there are a number of factors that are relevant to management decision-making. Therefore, organizations have to consider these barriers when they seek or select volunteers.

The educational system of each country plays the main role in developing the economy, society and the cultural factors of that country. Therefore, the society and the government pay much attention to their educational system. The aim of this study was to design a performance assessment system in physical education colleges and sport sciences. 22 criteria in three dimensions (input, process and output) as well as 999 indexes were used to design the performance assessment system. Next, based on the designed system, a primary questionnaire was designed by the 5-point Likert scale and distributed among professionals. Afterwards, based on their viewpoints, six questionnaires as well as the final evaluation checklist with 202 indexes were arranged based 5-point Likert scale: seven input criteria (46 indexes), eight process criteria (65 indexes) and seven output criteria (91 indexes). This research was developmental due to its aim and quantitative (descriptive) due to its data collection method. Questionnaires' validity was approved by professionals’ viewpoints and its reliability by Cronbach’s alpha (a>0.87). In addition, the weighted mean was used to rank indexes and criteria.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between transformational/transactional leadership and organizational justice in Physical Education Organization of Iran and which dimensions of these leadership styles enhance employees' perception of organizational justice. The population of this study consisted of 278 employees of Physical Education Organization out of which 220 employees completed multifactor leadership questionnaire (Bass and Avolio 2000) and justice scale (Niehoff & Moorman 1993). The validity and reliability of both questionnaires were calculated. The findings indicated that the scores of transformational leadership and organizational justice were medium and there was a significant relationship between transformational/transactional leadership and organizational justice, but multiple regressions indicated that transformational leadership was a stronger predictor of organizational justice. Path analysis indicated those dimensions of the two leadership styles which bore maximum effect on organizational justice. Regarding the fact that the transformational leadership was a stronger predictor of organizational justice, it is recommended that managers use transformational leadership to manage human resources.

Entrepreneurship and creativity are often used in the same place and statistics increasingly show that athletes have the most motivation to start a self-employment business. Global changes have created economic opportunities for athletes who are eager to own and operate businesses. Sport entrepreneurship appears to be a most rapidly growing business sector in the world and is an important factor in the national economic growth. In this study, the relationship between creativity and entrepreneurship in athletes and non-athletes was investigated. The statistical population consisted of all Yazd university students. 346 male students and 354 female students were selected as the sample by Morgan table. The results showed no significant relationship between creativity and entrepreneurship in athletes and non-athletes but there was a relationship between creativity and entrepreneurship in male athletes and male non-athletes.

The purpose of the present research was to apply data envelopment analysis method to determine productivity and to rank faculties and departments of physical education and sport sciences. 28 physical education and sport sciences faculties and departments of Islamic Azad University were selected. One of the most important non-parametric methods to evaluate the function of decision making units is data envelopment analysis model (DEA). One of these most important models is to search for the output and input weights and to calculate the amount of productivity (BCC model). In this model, the ratio of output to the scale can be variable (ascendant, stable, descendant). First, collected data will be divided into indexes with expense nature (budget, faculties, and office staff) and output indexes production nature (education, research and service activities). Input and output were combined and evaluated (the experts attached appropriate weights to input and output) and data were processed by performance evaluation model (EMS software was used). The results showed that regarding input, eleven faculties and departments had desirable output of educational and research function and professional services. They are at a desirable productivity level as well. Eighteen faculties and departments did not have desirable productivity regarding their input.

The aim of the present study was to model and study the effectiveness of the 4-factor marketing mix model in sport service industry. For this purpose, a questionnaire consisting of 45 closed questions was used (P<0.01). 108 marketing authorities of sport clubs active in 9 sport fields of super league matches completed the questionnaire and 98 questionnaires were completed and returned. The 4-factor marketing mix model was made. Results showed that pricing management was the independent variable and promotion management, facility management and product management were the dependent variables. The 4-factor model in Iran sport service industry was sufficiently suited to Iranian sport market. Also, pricing management was the main key to be manipulated by managers. Product management and facility management were the reply variables. Facility management shared some expenditure with product management and therefore it created some noticeable results and problems. Also, managers used promotion management to control product and facility managements in this model.

The purpose of this research was to study risk management practices in public and private swimming pools in Tehran. The statistical population of the research included 310 managers of public and private swimming pools from which 119 were selected as the statistical sample by random sampling. The research method was descriptive and survey in which two questionnaires were used (demographic data and general information questionnaire and risk management practices questionnaire). Their validities were determined by Cronbach's alpha. The data were collected by personal interviews when the managers were present in pools and they were analyzed by T-test, and Pearson correlation coefficient. The results of this study indicated no significant difference between the type of pools and risk identification and control. A significant difference existed between the type of pools and risk evaluation. No significant difference existed between the type of pools and control. A significant relationship existed between the age and risk management practices. No significant relationship existed between the experience and risk management practices. A significant difference existed between sex and risk management practices. A significant difference existed between the type of pools and risk management practices.

The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between the quality of work life and the organizational commitment in employees of Esfahan Physical Education Organization. The method of this research was descriptive and statistical sample included 152 employees of Physical Education Organization. Meyer’s organizational commitment questionnaire was used to gather the data. Descriptive and deductive statistics were used to analyze the data. Results showed a positive relationship between organizational commitment and quality of work life (P<0.05). Regression analysis showed that affective and normative commitments affected the quality of work life in employees of Esfahan Physical Education Organization.

The aim of the present research was to explore the relationship between exercise self-efficacy (ES) and the stages of exercise behavior changes (EBC) in university students and to predict their exercise behavior changes through self-efficacy, the key structure of Bandura’s social cognitive theory. For this purpose, EBC questionnaire (Cardinal, 1997) and ES questionnaire were randomly distributed among 560 students (294 males and 266 females) who majored in fields other than physical education at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. The content validity of these questionnaires was confirmed by experts and the internal consistency of the ES questionnaire proved to be 0.76 in a pilot study. The data were analyzed by Spearman correlation coefficient, independent t, ANOVA and stepwise regression tests. The results showed a significant relationship between the ES and the EBC (P<0.01). Also, the stages of exercise behavior changes could be predicted through exercise self-efficacy (ES).

Knowledge management is the organizational optimization of knowledge to achieve enhanced performance through various methods and techniques. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between organizational culture and knowledge management in managers of Physical Education Organization. This research was a descriptive and correlational survey. Data were gathered by two questionnaires. The content validity of these questionnaires was confirmed by managers of Management Faculty of University of Tehran and their reliability was obtained by Cronbach's alpha (knowledge management: a=0.87 and organizational culture: a=0.89). 38 questionnaires were returned and analyzed (n=38). The data were analyzed by descriptive (internal tendency, variability) and inferential (spearman correlation coefficient) statistics and SPSS software. The results of Spearman correlation coefficient showed no significant relationship between sharing culture and knowledge creation (P=0.068) but the relationship between sharing culture and knowledge transfer was significant (P=0.001) and the high level of this culture correlated with the high level of knowledge transfer (r=0.653). The relationship between continuous learning and creation and as well as the relationship between continuous learning and transfer of knowledge were significant (P=0.005, P=0.023) and the high level of continuous learning correlated with the high levels of creation and transfer of knowledge (r=0.524, r=0.453). The relationship between creation and transfer of knowledge was significant (P=0.00) and their high levels correlated (r=0.677). Knowledge sharing culture, training and continuous learning of managers are useful for creation, transfer of knowledge and implication of knowledge management. Also organization should always consider knowledge management as a whole.

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between managers’ leadership style and creativity of physical education (PE) teachers. Subjects included 160 managers and physical education teachers. Leadership style assessment questionnaire (LSAQ) and Raudsepp creativity questionnaire were used. Results showed a mean score of 127.9 (out of 2000) for leadership style. This score was 129.7 for male and 126.2 for female teachers. Physical education teachers' perception of managers’ transactional leadership style (out of 40 maximum) was 25.48 (mean for males: 25.48 and for females: 25.3). Out of 160 scores for transformational leadership style, mean of physical education teachers was 102.18; this score was 104.28 for males and 100.9 for females. Results showed a significant correlation (r=0.56, P=0.05) between leadership style and creativity. According to the results of this study and literature review, we can conclude that leadership style can have effects, directly or indirectly, on the amount of creativity.

The aim of the present research was to study physical education managers' satisfaction from sport medicine federation services to injured athlete university students. A questionnaire was used to gather the data. Experts approved the validity of the questionnaire and the reliability was calculated by Cronbach's alpha (a=0.70). The statistical population of this research included MSRT universities (Ministry of Science، Research and Technology). The questionnaire was distributed among 58 sport managers of these universities and 48 questionnaires were returned. Descriptive and deductive statistical methods (Spearman correlation and regression test) were used to analyze the data. The results showed a significant relationship between sport managers’ satisfaction and these variables: paying damages, the quality of sport medicine federation staff's relations, the rate of services and the proportion of insurance cover while there was no significant relationship between managers' satisfaction and providing information about the services. The results of multivariable data analysis showed that paying damages and the quality of staff's relations had the most significant relationship to physical education managers’ satisfaction.

The purpose of this study was to compare factors affecting casual, regular and enthusiastic spectators’ attendance at football pro-league matches. Descriptive research method was applied in this study. Iran pro-league clubs were divided to three groups according to their continuous attendance at pro league matches. Sample included 490 spectators determined by Cochran formula and proportionally distributed to three groups. A researcher-made questionnaire was used according to Correia and Esteves’ (2007) model for data collection. Questionnaire reliability was confirmed by factor analysis, related masters and professionals, and validity by Cronbach alpha (a=0.870). Questionnaires were distributed among four stadiums (Tehran, Hamadan, Isfahan and Qazvin). Data was analyzed by factors analyses, K-S, Friedman, Kruskal Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests. Data analyses results showed that economic factors (ticket price, transportation expense) and stadium facilities were the most important factors that affected all three group spectators’ attendance. Team relatedness (favorite players, good team performance, evaluation of coaches and players performance, player’s loyalty to the team and taste victory) and aggreesiveness (insult referee, on pitch aggressiveness, humiliate opposite team) had significant differences in attendance of casuals, regular and enthusiatsic spectators.