Chapter Sport Management Questions and Research Jess C. Dixon, University of Windsor Wendy Frisby, University of British Columbia Robert Boucher, University of Windsor C H A P T E R

Research Questions and Their Origins Research questions emerge... –Out of curiosity –In an effort to cope with a problem or to influence change (continued)

Research Questions and Their Origins (continued) Sport managers need to... –Ask relevant research questions –Choose appropriate research methods to address them

Why Sport Managers Need to Understand Research Only research can keep you current Trial-and-error management is folly

What Is Sport Management Research? Systematic way of examining hunches, assumptions, and questions Academic research in sport management (see table 20.1) Commercial research in sport management

Academic Journals Publishing Research in Sport Management Journal of Sport Management Sport Management Review Sociology of Sport Journal International Review for the Sociology of Sport Journal of Sports Economics Journal of Sport & Social Issues European Sport Management Quarterly (continued)

Academic Journals Publishing Research in Sport Management (continued) Sport Marketing Quarterly Sporting Traditions International Journal of Sports Marketing & Sponsorship International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing Journal of Sport Tourism (continued)

Academic Journals Publishing Research in Sport Management (continued) International Journal of Sport Management International Journal of Sport Finance International Journal of Sport Communication International Journal of Sport Policy

Consultants Specializing in Sport Business Research American Sports Data, Inc. Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) Joyce Julius & Associates, Inc. Performance Research Sports Business Research Network Turnkey Sports Ipsos-Reid

Key Concepts Ways of knowing Science and pseudoscience Basic and applied research Quantitative and qualitative data Research design Validity and reliability

Ways of Knowing Tenacity Authority Intuition Science Sidebar: Moneyball

Science and Pseudoscience Science Social science Pseudoscience: theories promoting techniques not based on systematic research Determining whether research qualifies as science or pseudoscience

Basic and Applied Research Basic –Advancing body of knowledge –Applying, testing, advancing, and developing new theories Applied –Helps answer practical research questions –Marketing research, feasibility studies

Quantitative and Qualitative Data Quantitative data: in the form of numbers Qualitative data: in the form of words, pictures, or actions Mixed-methods approach Common techniques used in sport management research

Table 20.3

Table 20.4

Research Design Common research designs in sport management Research design selection based on numerous factors –Purpose of the research and the research questions –Expertise of the researcher and available resources –How the research will be used

Validity and Reliability Determining how well data collection techniques measure abstract concepts Validity assesses how well our measures capture the meaning of abstract concepts Reliability refers to the consistency or dependability of our measures (continued)

Validity and Reliability (continued) Strategies for producing credible, dependable, and believable results –Carefully defining abstract concepts –Examining results over time and across subgroups –Using multiple sources of data

Current Challenges in Sport Management Research Judging the quality of research –Consider the source –Questions to ask to judge quality

Critical Thinking in Sport Management Research Preoccupation with sport statistics Awareness of indiscriminate use and misuse of statistical information Sidebar: Using Statistics Correctly –Using statistics correctly: the well-chosen average –Using statistics correctly: built-in bias

Gap Between Research and Practice The struggle between those doing the research and those who must apply the knowledge Academic-oriented vs. practitioner-oriented publications (continued)

Gap Between Research and Practice (continued) For published research, academics and practitioners should answer these questions: –What does this really mean? –How can it be of use to me? –How can we work together to promote progressive and innovative change?

Figure 20.1

Ethics in Sport Management Research Ethical guidelines Anonymity Confidentiality

Future of Sport Management Research Questions –What problems do you foresee in the field? –How will you solve them to the satisfaction of various stakeholders? –What methods will you use to address your research questions? Amount of research conducted will increase

Three Review Questions 1.What value does a sport organization receive from research provided by the academic and professional literature? 2.Under what circumstances would a commercial research firm be able to make valuable contributions to a sport organization? (continued)

Three Review Questions (continued) 3.What is a research design and what are the key features of the most common research designs used in sport management?