SPORT MANAGEMENT REVIEW
Year:2017 | Volume:9 | Issue:41 |Papers Count:11

This study aims to recognize and ultimately prioritize barriers to the privatization of soccer industry in Iran using the integrated approach of multi-criteria analysis and Copeland's method. This investigation is also based on the opinions of experts and seeks to inform sport policymakers about strengths and weaknesses of the privatization of soccer industry in Iran as well as the barriers to do so. This research is a survey-based study and follows a practical application. Both descriptive and inferential data analyses were conducted. In this study, barriers to the privatization of soccer industry in Iran were initially identified and then ranked using various models of multi-attribute decision making (MADM). As the results obtained from the above-mentioned models did not conform to each other in some cases, an integrated model called Copeland’s method was used to reach a general consensus in ranking obstacles to the privatization of soccer clubs in Iran. Ranking results obtained from Copeland’s method revealed that the three main barriers to the privatization of soccer industry in Iran were lack of proper planning for privatization, lack of television broadcasting right for soccer industry in Iran, and lack of appropriate infrastructure for privatization of soccer industry in this country. Therefore, paying attention to the existing obstacles can be very useful in the realization of the soccer industry privatization in Iran.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate sponsorship effectiveness model in Iran football Pro League. The research method was descriptive-survey. Five hundred fifteen spectators (by Cochran’s formula) of Iran football Pro League participated in study. Data was analyzed using structural equation modeling. Testing for goodness of fit showed that, with some corrections, the proposed model was desirable. Results showed that sponsoring in Pro League increased product awareness, improved sponsor image, enhanced social responsibility, and increased intention to purchase from sponsor. Product awareness, sponsor image, and social responsibility affected intention to purchase positively, and negative behavior and ambush marketing affected intention to purchase negatively. In general, sponsoring in Iran football Pro League affected the target population’s opinion positively and has effectiveness.

The current study aimed to prioritize and rank factors affecting famous athletes’ endorsement of sports products from customers’ points of view. The statisticalpopulation of the study consisted of all female and male customers in Shiraz buying Majid’s products endorsed by Ali Karimi. Considering the infinite size of the statistical population, sample size was determined using Cochran’s formula (N=185). Data collection instrument was Braunstein & Zhang’s endorsement questionnaire (2005), face and content validity of which were already verified by Rasuli et al. (2014) and its reliability was measured using Cronbach’s alpha (α=0.927). To analyze data, we employed descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation as well as inferential statistics like confirmatory factor analysis using LISREL, factor analysis-Varimax rotation and Friedman test. The results showed that, of all components, likeable personality had the greatest importance, and components such as professional trustworthiness, source attractiveness, character style and the star power had the least importance. Thus, identifying factors affecting customers’ purchase intention through athletic endorsement is of paramount importance for industrial organizations’ managers and athletes to attract more customers through focusing on them.

This study aimed to identify and compare the barriers todonors’ participation in construction and development of sporting venues in Kerman. It was a survey research and the statistical population included 180 donors in Kerman. One hundred eighteen donors were studied via availability sampling and 100 complete questionnaires were evaluated in the final analysis. Morgan table was employed for determining sample size. Face and content validity of the questionnaires were obtained by interviewing university experts and some of donors. To determine the structure validity, we used exploratory factor analysis. Internal reliability was studied and confirmed through Cronbach’s alpha (a=0.91). Descriptive and inferential statistics (exploratory factor analysis, one-sample t test, and repeated measures) and SPSS software were used for data analysis. Results showed that all of the studied factors were involved in preventing donors’ participation, and in order of importance were as follows: legal-administrative barriers, ideological and socio-cultural barriers, and barriers related to sports itself. Eliminating these barriers is essential for paving the way for the participation of donors and benefactors in development of sports.

The purpose of this research was to employ ARMA model for studying and explaining the imports of sports goods in over 20 years. This study was practical in terms of purpose, and analytic-documental in terms of research type. Time series data of the Central Bank and Customs of the Islamic Republic of Iran during the years 1391–1371 were used. Fitness of autoregressive models of moving average of the research group was investigated and, eventually, ARMA was chosen as the optimum model for the importing of sporting goods. The results showed that all coefficients of autocorrelation lag were significant in (AR) and moving average (MA). Ninety-one percent of sporting goods imports was explained by changes in the autoregressive variables. The imports variable was stationary; that is, entering any shock to imports or implementing government policies that change the imports will have only short-term effects on the volume of imports, and the volume will be gradually restored to pre-shock levels. Therefore, the adoption of fiscal and monetary policy will not work out for Iran's import of sporting goods.

This study assessed entrepreneurial attitudes of female managers in sports clubs of Tehran (22 regions). It aims to identify and evaluate these attitudes and prioritize the characteristics of entrepreneurship among managers of women’s clubs. Study population included managers of all women’s sports club in Tehran in 2015, the number of which was 550, according to Statistics Department of Sport Ministry in Tehran province. One hundred-sixteen people were selected randomly for study. Data was collected using a standardized questionnaire which measured five major personality traits important for entrepreneurship: risk taking, internal locus of control, need for achievement, tolerance for ambiguity, and creativity. Data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential (one-sample t test and Friedman test) statistical methods. Results showed that managers of women’s sports clubs in Tehran had entrepreneurial attitudes. Prioritizing these traits revealed that internal locus of control and risk taking had the highest and lowest priority, respectively. No significant difference was observed in entrepreneurial attitude of managers of public versus private sports club.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of business intelligence through innovation and brand success on the financial performance of private sport clubs in Rasht. This is a descriptive-survey research. Due to limited statistical population, the sample size was considered equal to population (total number) (N=n=49). Results showed that business intelligence had significant effect on financial performance of private clubs. Business intelligence also had significant effect on innovation, but it had no significant effect on success of brand. We also found that innovation had significant effect on success of brand and financial performance, while there was no significant effect of success of brand on financial performance. Based on these finding, although business intelligence has the ability to predict financial performance, understanding underlying mechanisms and achieving financial performance require paying attention to performance of innovation system and efficacy of brand management.

The Purpose of this research study was to construct and validate competency scale for sport coaches. For this purpose, 300 coaches, recruited via purposive sampling, completed a researcher-made sportcoaches’ competencies questionnaire. The method applied in this research was descriptive-correlation. Content and face validity of the questionnaire were confirmed by an expert university panel, and construct validity was evaluated using the confirmatory factor analysis based on structural equations. Based on exploratory factor analysis with varimax rotation, 29 items were devided into 7 factors. Total variance of these factors explained 68.64% variance of sport coaches’ competencies. Results showed that first-order and second-order confirmatory factor analysis and Cronbach’ alpha coefficient supported the 7-factor and 29-item structure of the questionnaire, and confirmed construct validity, internal consistency and temporal reliability. The findings of the study provide important insights into the competencies required of sport coaches. The findings of this study can be implemented to develop training programs for sport coaches and develop performance appraisal tools.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Persian version of work ability index (WAI) and its relationship with the physical fitness indicators of employees in Kermanshah in a sample of 868 (250 females, 618 males) people recruited through multi-stage sampling method. The research instrument consisted of questionnaire and physical fitness tests. Validity of the questionnaire was statistically analyzed by experts, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and its reliability was confirmed by Cronbach's alpha. Finally, the data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and simultaneous regression model. The principal component analysis with varimax rotation identified two factors, i.e., subjective health-related work ability) 41.86% of the variance) and ill-health related work ability (19.47% of the variance) in the index construct. Results of convergent validity showed high correlation among questions of ability to work. Intraclass coefficient correlation was also high (0.72–0.81). Mean WAI index score was higher among employees with low absenteeism (40.46 points) than among those with high absenteeism (32.04 points). Reliability of the index was acceptable (Cronbach’s alpha=0.74). Goodness-of-fit indices of second-order factor analysis confirmed the tow extracted factors and two-factor model had a superior fit compared to the one-dimensional model. Finally, multiple linear regression showed physical fitness tests were predicting factors for the work ability among employees. In conclusion, Persian version of the work ability index showed satisfactory psychometric properties among employees.

The purpose of this research is to investigatate the effect of relationship marketing on quality of relationship with the spectators of Iran women's volleyball professional league. The Research method was corelational research that was performed field research. Three hundred six people (age>14) were selected randomly. In the proposed model, relationship marketing explained 74% (0.862) of the variance in relationship quality. In addition, social benefits with the highest loading (0.65) was the most important dimension in relationship marketing, and trust with the highest loading (0.69) was the most important dimension in relationship quality. This results can ensure the Iranian Volleyball Federation and sports clubs that increasing the quality of relationship with spectators by means of social benefits and structural bonds can create a sustainable competitive advantage. Other suggestions for enhancing the relationship quality are holding regular and consistent volleyball leagues, using modern communication tools and socialization, improving spectators-staff interaction, and paying special attention to the needs and demands of spectators.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of coaching behavior with group cohesion and collective efficacy of female players in Iranian hockey professional league. The research method is descriptive–survey. The statistical population included female hockey players of the sixth Premier League (n=130), 90 of whom voluntarily participated in the study and finally 70 questionnaires were correctly analyzed. We used CBQ (Martin and Barnes, 1999), GEQ (Caron et al.1985) and CEQ (Fletz and Lirch, 1998). Questionnaires validity was approved by sport management specialists (10 people), and Cronbach's alpha coefficients for their reliability were calculated as 0.81, 0.83, 0.85, respectively. Descriptive statistics (mean standard deviation) and inferential statistics (k-s, multiple regressions) were used. There was a significant positive relationship between coaching behaviors (reinforcement, contingency technical training, general technical training, organizing) and group cohesion, while a significant negative relationship was observed between coaching behaviors (punitive technical education, punishment) and group cohesion. There also was a significant positive relationship between coaching behaviors (mistake contingency technical education, general encouragement, general technical training, reinforcement, public relations, keeping control) and collective efficacy, whereas the relationship between coaching behaviors (mistake contingency encouragement and organizing) and collective efficacy was significantly negative. Finally, there was a significant positive relationship between collective efficacies and group cohesion. Then, it's concluded that female hockey coaches could benefit from these coaching behaviors to improve their teams’ cohesion and collective efficacy.