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Article
Publication date: 10 July 2017

Antonios K. Travlos, Panagiotis Dimitropoulos and Stylianos Panagiotopoulos

The purpose of this paper is to examine the migration of foreign football players that participated in the elite football championship in Greece and the impact of this migratory…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the migration of foreign football players that participated in the elite football championship in Greece and the impact of this migratory channel on the athletic success of the football clubs.

Design/methodology/approach

The study analyzed a database of all migrant and local athletes that participated in the professional Greek football championship over the period 2001-2013 and performed descriptive and regression analyses.

Findings

The regression analyses revealed a positive and significant statistical relation between the investment in foreign talents and the position of the clubs in the championship; however, this impact was more intense for foreign athletes after the formation of the Greek Super League (SL) in 2007 but on the contrary native athletes seem to contribute less to the athletic success than their foreign counterparts.

Practical implications

The findings indicated that valuable resources where spent after SL formation for the acquisition of foreign well-trained athletes. Therefore, this study corroborated arguments in previous research that a basic reason for foreign player migration in football is the increased revenues accrued from the media and sponsors. The study also provided useful policy implications for football managers for improving their decisions on this matter.

Originality/value

The present study fills a gap in the empirical literature and contributes significantly on the ongoing debate about the international athletes’ migration and its impact on athletic success.

Details

Sport, Business and Management: An International Journal, vol. 7 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-678X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 September 2020

Michael T. Friedman and Adam S. Beissel

The purpose of this paper is to reframe analyses of stadium and arena subsidization policies from perspectives centered upon economic and financial issues toward a perspective…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to reframe analyses of stadium and arena subsidization policies from perspectives centered upon economic and financial issues toward a perspective focused on broader issues of urban governance and the public purposes of sports facilities. Such assessments would provide a better understanding of whether such use of public resources represents good public policy.

Design/methodology/approach

To demonstrate this, the paper uses an integrated literature review to offer a historical analysis of sport facility development within the context of the broader assumptions that shape public policy and how sports have been used toward achieving particular public goals. This history provides a foundation for an analysis of sports facility development within the current moment as cities require team owners to invest in redevelopment activities in the neighborhoods surrounding sports facilities.

Findings

This paper asserts that focusing on the economic and financial aspects of sports facility development is a perspective that is too narrow. Instead, this paper shows that a more holistic approach, beginning with the dominant mode of urban governance and how its assumptions underlie the public purposes for which stadiums and arenas are used, provides a better explanatory framework and a deeper understanding of the issue in the contemporary moment.

Originality/value

Moving beyond the question of economic efficacy, the public purpose-centered approach of this paper seeks to place subsidization policies into a broader dialog with other priorities toward maximizing the public good among the broadest population.

Details

International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, vol. 22 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1464-6668

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 February 2009

Nnamdi Madichie

The purpose of this paper is to show how one of the biggest phenomena of the twenty‐first century is the internationalisation of professional sports and how premier league…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to show how one of the biggest phenomena of the twenty‐first century is the internationalisation of professional sports and how premier league football epitomises this. With the influx of foreign players, managers and now owners, European League Football has become big business. This paper aims to provide a theoretical analysis of the management implications of foreign players in the English Premiership League football – renamed the Barclays Premier League to suit the needs of its major sponsors.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach adopted is purely qualitative in nature, evaluating the top Barclays Premier League teams and the impact of globalisation on their reconfigurations since the early 1990s to date. The study draws mainly from a review of the extant literature on sports and management, as well as a critical analysis of media reports.

Findings

Globalisation has emerged as a new force that has changed the way corporations are managed. Financial services, retail and information technology firms have all responded to this new wave – and so also has sports. Unfortunately while sports have the potential to teach lessons on management strategy, management researchers seem to have relegated sports to the sociology and psychology disciplines.

Practical implications

The Barclays Premier league football provides a unique environment for management decisions and processes to occur in a range of markets and at varied levels. However, the globalisation of professional sports has received relatively very little attention in the academic literature – especially in the field of business and management.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the scant literature on the management implications of football by highlighting how globalisation has affected and reconfigured professional sports using the influx of foreign players into the English football league as a point of departure.

Details

Management Decision, vol. 47 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 September 2016

Denise Linda Parris, Adrien Bouchet, Jon Welty Peachey and Danny Arnold

Creating value through service innovation requires new processes and ways of communicating to multiple stakeholders. Institutions and stakeholders within the service ecosystem…

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Abstract

Purpose

Creating value through service innovation requires new processes and ways of communicating to multiple stakeholders. Institutions and stakeholders within the service ecosystem, however, often resist change. Adopting a new service strategy entails two distinct costs – monetary and psychological. The tensions between an organization’s need to generate incremental revenue and the challenges of balancing business as usual and the costs associated with service innovation are explored. Specifically, this paper aims to explore the adoption of a customer relationship management (CRM) technology solution in a bureaucratic setting, and the sequence of events needed for successful implementation, with emphasis on overcoming various barriers and hurdles.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study methodology is used to gather and analyze data on how the Arizona State University (ASU) athletic department responded to the changing competitive environment via adopting a CRM technology solution. Data collection consisted of ten semi-structured interviews.

Findings

The experience of ASU illustrates that the primary benefits of a CRM technology solution include the generation of incremental revenue, capturing data and personalized marketing. The main challenges are coordinating adoption, obtaining commitment, developing competency, estimating costs and creating content.

Research limitations/implications

A conceptual framework emerged from the data that describes the likelihood of a service technology’s successful implementation based upon the interaction of the strength of key actors, organizational situation perception and organizational commitment. The model extends the proposed duality of service innovation outcomes as either success or failure to acknowledge the likelihood of a partial implementation where marginal success is achieved.

Practical implications

The sequence of events needed for successful implementation of a service technology is highlighted, with emphasis on overcoming various barriers and hurdles. Implementation steps are provided, as well as a model to help pinpoint issues.

Originality/value

The case study provides insight for overcoming pitfalls and barriers to adopting a new service technology in a traditionally bureaucratic organization where resistance to change is the norm, and innovation is not.

Details

Journal of Services Marketing, vol. 30 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0887-6045

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 June 2017

Birnir Egilsson and Harald Dolles

The sports industry is a forerunner in the international quest for talent as the search by sport clubs and the corresponding self-initiated expatriation of athletes starts at a…

Abstract

Purpose

The sports industry is a forerunner in the international quest for talent as the search by sport clubs and the corresponding self-initiated expatriation of athletes starts at a very early age. The purpose of this paper is to address this phenomenon by exploring the experiences of talented young Icelandic footballers (soccer players) in their transition from Iceland into senior-level professional football in European leagues across six dimensions – three individual and three cultural.

Design/methodology/approach

Biographical narrative interviews have been conducted with eight Icelandic players moving overseas at a young age with the purpose of advancing their career. To investigate the coping strategies applied, a purposeful sampling approach was chosen, given that half of the participants successfully dealt with transitions in their career, while the other half did not experience the same success.

Findings

As an overall result, the expatriate journey for young footballers is complex, influenced by many events, expectations, conditions and pressures that affect their support web and ability to adjust. Reflecting on the experiences of successful transitions, problem-focused coping strategies have been more effective than emotion-focused coping.

Research limitations/implications

This study highlights some necessary conditions and coping strategies for young self-initiated sports expatriates to cope with the expatriate transition successfully.

Originality/value

The authors contribute to research on expatriation, as this specific group of “young professionals” has not yet been addressed by the research within international human resource management. Our research framework responds to calls in the literature to consider additional stages of player development and an array of individual and cultural factors that may have a significant role in shaping players’ careers abroad.

Details

Journal of Global Mobility: The Home of Expatriate Management Research, vol. 5 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2049-8799

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 January 2012

Chen-Yueh Chen, Yi-Hsiu Lin and Yen-Kuang Lin

The Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) experienced a rapid decline in attendance after the mid 1990s. In this study, market demand analysis is used to discover the causes…

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Abstract

The Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) experienced a rapid decline in attendance after the mid 1990s. In this study, market demand analysis is used to discover the causes of variation in CPBL attendance from 1990 to 2008. The ordinary least squares (OLS) is employed for model estimation. From this model, empirical evidence reveals that a homogenous sport substitute, Taiwan Major League (TML), the Major League Baseball (MLB) effect and game-fixing scandals in CPBL negatively influence CPBL attendance. Additionally, real income is found to negatively affect CPBL attendance, making CPBL games an inferior product. The proposed model accounts for approximately 91% of variation in CPBL attendance between 1990 and 2008.

Details

International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, vol. 13 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1464-6668

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 June 2006

Edward A. Baryla and Douglas Dotterweich

This paper uses institutional characteristics and regional economic data to determine if institutional mission may help drive non‐resident undergraduate enrollment.

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper uses institutional characteristics and regional economic data to determine if institutional mission may help drive non‐resident undergraduate enrollment.

Design/methodology/approach

A two‐stage least squares regression models is employed on 180 Doctoral, 333 Comprehensive, and 501 Baccalaureate higher education institutions to determine if there is a correlation between non‐resident enrollment and tuition for each of the separate mission‐based classifications.

Findings

The study finds a significant positive correlation between non‐resident undergraduate enrollment and tuition for both doctoral and baccalaureate institutions. There is no significant correlation between non‐resident enrollment and tuition for comprehensive institutions.

Research limitations/implications

Suggests that non‐resident undergraduate students are attracted to both larger flagship institutions, as well as to smaller institutions that are almost entirely focused on undergraduate instruction. Comprehensive institutions do not generally experience this phenomenon; however, the more selective schools within this category are also attractive to non‐resident students.

Originality/value

Attracting non‐resident students is an important issue for a higher education institution. This research article presents tantalizing evidence that institutional mission may be a factor in non‐resident enrollment. This may allow a higher education institution to garner excess returns when pricing non‐resident tuition, and in addition it may allow for some leeway in pricing resident tuition.

Details

International Journal of Educational Management, vol. 20 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-354X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 June 2019

Steve Bullough and Richard Coleman

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) legislative intervention around “home-grown” player quotas came into effect for the 2006-2007 season, aiming to protect playing…

Abstract

Purpose

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) legislative intervention around “home-grown” player quotas came into effect for the 2006-2007 season, aiming to protect playing opportunities and the development of indigenous talent. Previous research has identified clear differences between clubs and club types regarding opportunities for academy players. This paper aims to examine the outputs from six European leagues (France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain and England), identifying differences between national associations, club type, and on an individual club level. The paper investigates different league structure (in terms of allowing reserve teams in the professional leagues) and assesses UEFAs legislation in relation to programme theory (expected outcomes).

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on playing data from 200 clubs and 3,329 indigenous players making their debut in one of the six leagues since 2006, and includes ten seasons of competition to 2015-2016.

Findings

The number of players produced and playing opportunities offered since 2006 are more prominent in the Spanish, The Netherlands, French and German leagues compared to Italy and England. For those clubs competing in all ten seasons, a similar pattern emerges with those four nations producing greater outputs. Four clubs significantly outperform others in terms of producing players reaching any top-six league first team, and for their own academy graduates. Additionally, the four leagues allowing reserve teams in their professional structure have a higher level of “output” for their academy players.

Originality/value

The paper discusses issues in the design of the legislation (not making nationality a factor and being unable to control other dominant variables) as key weaknesses to influencing change, and achieve the rationale cited by UEFA for its introduction.

Details

Team Performance Management: An International Journal, vol. 25 no. 3/4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1352-7592

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 July 2021

Nico van Rensburg and Ogujiuba Kanayo

This paper aims to identify how entrepreneurs’ active involvement in sports/athletic training affects and adds to their overall ethical judgement skills within and outside the…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to identify how entrepreneurs’ active involvement in sports/athletic training affects and adds to their overall ethical judgement skills within and outside the workplace.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopted a qualitative approach and included a combination of 12 male and female entrepreneurs who were purposively selected based on the study’s requirements. The primary data was collected through semi-structured one-on-one interviews, and interpretative phenomenological analysis served as the primary method of data analysis.

Findings

Findings from this study suggest that entrepreneurs’ active involvement in sports/athletic training does indeed influence their ethical judgement skills all-round. Arising from a combination of sports involvement factors, a unique group of underlying elements surfaced that proves valuable accustomed relationships concerning the significant impact sports/athletic training have on successful entrepreneurs’ ethical judgement skills.

Research limitations/implications

The active involvement in sports/athletic training undoubtedly plays a vital role in achieving entrepreneurs’ daily ethical judgement ability. However, this study was limited to the opinion of a small sample of participants in a specific field. Also, this study’s phenomenological nature requires the researcher’s interpretation of the results to be viewed as the truth.

Practical implications

This study provides a new perspective and validates how purposeful involvement in sports/athletic training regimens can boost the ethical judgement skills of entrepreneurs all-round. This study also proves powerful and new insight into the unique relationships among the accustomed factors and the underlying elements thereto – contributing beyond existing theory.

Originality/value

This study is novel and provides new and powerful insight into the ethical judgement skills and benefits derived thereof that can be developed by entrepreneurs from the active involvement in sports/athletic training.

Details

Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, vol. 14 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2053-4604

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 June 2013

Malcolm David Prentis

Guthrie Wilson (1914‐1984) was one example of the trend of migration of teachers from New Zealand public schools to Australian private schools. The purpose of this paper is to…

Abstract

Purpose

Guthrie Wilson (1914‐1984) was one example of the trend of migration of teachers from New Zealand public schools to Australian private schools. The purpose of this paper is to explore this particular case with a view to revealing some of the dynamics involved and challenges facing certain types of Australasian schools in the 1950s and 1960s.

Design/methodology/approach

This article is essentially founded on empirical historical research and on analysis of data from published and archival sources and from interviews with participants and observers. It is placed in the context of the literature on both educational change in Australasia and trans‐Tasman migration at the time.

Findings

Although Guthrie Wilson craved recognition as a novelist, he excelled as a school Principal, partly because he seemed to fit certain notions of education, leadership and manhood which suited the Council of The Scots College Sydney. In the 1960s, the Council wanted to maintain traditions which appeared to have been weakened by Wilson's progressive predecessor and challenged by social change. Though he fulfilled the Council's expectations, Wilson also proved to be a mediator between traditional and progressive education. Thus, Wilson could be both an honourable representative of the “Old School” and modestly progressive.

Originality/value

Biographical studies can reveal unsuspected patterns as well as challenge casual generalizations. Images of schools and of their leadership, held by both contemporaries and later observers, can prove to be subtly misleading on closer inspection. In particular, the article confronts a number of school myths which affect not only the schools involved but all schools, mutatis mutandis.

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