Who Are the Champions? Using a Multilevel Model to Examine Perceptions of Employee Support for LGBT Inclusion in Sport Organizations

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Nicole Melton ◽  
George B. Cunningham
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Minorities ◽  
Sport Organizations ◽  
Athletic Department ◽  
Athletic Departments ◽  
Employee Support ◽  
Community Values ◽  
Supportive Behaviors ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Diverse Cultures ◽  
Lgbt Individuals

Sport employees who champion LGBT inclusion efforts represent key elements in creating accepting environments within college athletic departments. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to examine the concept of champions and how they support LGBT individuals within heterosexist sport environments. Drawing from divergent literatures, including that related to organizational inclusion and championing behaviors, we explore how a combination of factors from multiple levels may influence sport employees’ attitude and behaviors related to LGBT inclusion, and determine how supportive behaviors influence sexual minorities working within a college athletic department. Results indicate that various macro- (i.e., culture of sport, athletic boosters, university and community values, exposure to diverse cultures) meso- (organizational culture, presence of other champions), and micro- (demographics, open-mindedness, experiences with sexual minorities) level factors influenced the level of employee support for LGBT inclusive policies. Furthermore, power meaningfully influenced these dynamics, such that employees who did not resemble prototypically sport employees (i.e., White, heterosexual, male) were hesitant to show support for LGBT equality. However, those who did champion LGBT inclusive initiatives successfully modeled supportive behaviors and positive attitudes toward LGBT individuals, vocally opposed discriminatory treatment, and provided sexual minorities with a safe space within sport. The authors discuss implications and future directions.

Greening Our Front Porch: Environmental Sustainability in Collegiate Athletics

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-17
Author(s):  
Jamee A. Pelcher ◽  
Brian P. McCullough
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
College Athletics ◽  
Collegiate Athletics ◽  
Sport Organizations ◽  
Athletic Department ◽  
Athletic Departments ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
Sustainability Initiatives ◽  
Sports Organization

Sport organizations have begun to widely implement environmental sustainability into their daily operations, but more needs to be done to properly plan and implement these initiatives to ensure their long-term success. Specifically, college athletic departments struggle to be proactive in their approach to environmental sustainability despite the vast resources available to leverage in order to deeply commit to being an environmentally sustainable department on campus. This case study examines the strategic planning of sustainability initiatives in the Smallville University Athletic Department. This case provides students with an opportunity to (a) explore the importance of sustainability in sport, (b) analyze the role of stakeholders in a sports organization, (c) investigate common barriers to implementing sustainability in college athletics, and (d) consider creative options for implementing sustainable initiatives.

Rising to the Challenge of Our Rival: Promoting Rivalry at Sam Houston State University Through Campus Recreation

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-37
Author(s):  
Jason W. Lee ◽  
Ryan K. Zapalac ◽  
Elizabeth A. Gregg ◽  
Courtney Godfrey
Keyword(s):  
Campus Recreation ◽  
Recreational Sports ◽  
State University ◽  
Sport Organizations ◽  
Athletic Department ◽  
Athletic Departments ◽  
Sports Events ◽  
Sam Houston State University ◽  
The University ◽  
Piney Woods

Rivalries are a powerful promotional tool that can help drive identification with a brand, attendance at sports events, and subsequent consumer spending. While rivalries often benefit the participating athletic departments directly, there are other peripheral benefits that institutions can take advantage of. For instance, campus recreation departments can use the rivalry to help boost participation and provide additional psychic income benefits. This case focuses on two NCAA Football Championship Subdivision rivals and the ways in which the branding of their annual football contest, the Battle of the Piney Woods, can be best leveraged by other programs in the university, namely campus recreation. A sample scenario of a relatively new recreational sports employee is provided along with promotional elements and background for the universities and the Battle of the Piney Woods event. The reader is challenged to devise strategies that can best tie the Battle of the Piney Woods rivalry to the promotion of recreational sports offerings. The goal of such an exercise is to have one examine how large inter-institutional rivalries can also benefit other sport organizations that are within the university but are not necessarily just in the athletic department.

Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Technology-Enhanced Language Learning

2018 ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Somaye Piri ◽  
Sahar Riahi
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
Intercultural Communicative Competence ◽  
Intercultural Understanding ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Intercultural Communications ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
The People ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Diverse Cultures

Cultural awareness and intercultural understanding are crucial parts of learning a new language. However, not everyone has the chance to have face-to-face interaction with the people from diverse cultures. Computer-mediated technologies are favorable tools that can help learners to engage in intercultural communications. This chapter aims at intercultural learning through technology-enhanced language learning. Five main themes have emerged as the result of literature review alongside a report on major research descriptive. The literature revealed that there are 1) positive attitudes toward using digital tools in intercultural language learning, 2) the development of critical cultural awareness and intercultural communicative competence, 3) opportunities for improving all aspects of language learning. However, 4) textbooks are still the predominant learning resource, and 5) a necessity is felt for special technical skills and competencies. This study is helpful to consider the existing challenges and find new directions for future investigations.

Measuring Attitudes Toward LGBT Individuals: Theoretical and Practical Considerations

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie C. Steffens ◽  
Sabine Preuß
Keyword(s):  
Gay Men ◽  
Sexual Minorities ◽  
Hate Crimes ◽  
Sexual Prejudice ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
Attitude Measure ◽  
Attitude Measures ◽  
And Bisexual ◽  
Lgbt Individuals

Over the last decades, in many so-called Western countries, the social, political, and legal standing of lesbians, gay men, and bisexual and trans* individuals (henceforth, LGBT* individuals) has considerably improved, and concurrently, attitudes toward these groups have become more positive. Consequently, people are aware that blatantly prejudiced statements are less socially accepted, and thus, negative attitudes toward LGBT* individuals (also referred to as antigay attitudes, sexual prejudice, or homonegativity) and their rights need to be measured in more subtle ways than previously. At the same time, discrimination and brutal hate crimes toward LGBT* individuals still exist (e.g., Orlando shooting, torture of gay men in Chechnya). Attitudes are one of the best predictors of overt behavior. Thus, examining attitudes toward LGBT* individuals in an adequate way helps to predict discriminatory behavior, to identify underlying processes, and to develop interventions to reduce negative attitudes and thus, ultimately, hate crimes. The concept of attitudes is theoretically postulated to consist of three components (i.e., the cognitive, affective, and behavioral attitude components). Further, explicit and implicit attitude measures are distinguished. Explicit measures directly ask participants to state their opinions regarding the attitude object and are thus transparent, they require awareness, and they are subject to social desirability. In contrast, implicit measures infer attitudes indirectly from observed behavior, typically from reaction times in different computer-assisted tasks; they are therefore less transparent, they do not require awareness, and they are less prone to socially desirable responding. With regard to explicit attitude measures, old-fashioned and modern forms of prejudice have been distinguished. When it comes to measuring LGBT* attitudes, measures should differentiate between attitudes toward different sexual minorities (as well as their rights). So far, research has mostly focused on lesbians and gay men; however, there is increasing interest in attitudes toward bisexual and trans* individuals. Also, attitude measures need to be able to adequately capture attitudes of more or less prejudiced segments of society. To measure attitudes toward sexual minorities adequately, the attitude measure needs to fulfill several methodological criteria (i.e., to be psychometrically sound, which means being reliable and valid). In order to demonstrate the quality of an attitude measure, it is essential to know the relationship between scores on the measure and important variables that are known to be related to LGBT* attitudes. Different measures for LGBT* attitudes exist; which one is used should depend on the (research) purpose.

scholarly journals A Dying Trend or a Viable Option: Dual-Role Athletic Department Employees

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 109-116
Author(s):  
Lawrence Brady ◽  
Tracy Trachsler
Keyword(s):  
Employee Satisfaction ◽  
Dual Role ◽  
Athletic Programs ◽  
Athletic Department ◽  
Athletic Departments ◽  
Viable Option ◽  
Single Person ◽  
University Level

As athletic departments at the college/university level are trying to creatively balance the financial demands of supporting athletic programs with employee satisfaction and departmental needs, the topic of the dual-role employee tends to appear in conversation. The question remains, with all of the demands, in both administration and coaching, is it possible for a single person to successfully accomplish the job obligations in both areas?

The Role of Servant Leadership in Developing an Ethical Climate in Sport Organizations

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 229-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura J. Burton ◽  
Jon Welty Peachey ◽  
Janelle E. Wells
Keyword(s):  
Servant Leadership ◽  
Organizational Justice ◽  
Ethical Climate ◽  
Sport Organizations ◽  
Athletic Departments ◽  
Intercollegiate Athletic ◽  
Intercollegiate Athletic Departments ◽  
Ethical Component ◽  
The Relationship

Evaluation of leadership as a necessary component to reform sport could be critical to fostering a more ethical climate and reducing the frequency and severity of ethical improprieties within this context. However, limited research has examined the relationship between leadership and ethical climate. Servant leadership, due to its ethical component and people-centered focus, is a leadership approach that may best support development of an ethical climate. The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of servant leadership on perceptions of an ethical climate in intercollegiate athletic departments, with an examination of how trust and perceptions of organizational justice indirectly influence the relationship between servant leadership and perceptions of an ethical climate. Findings indicated that servant leadership was directly related to trust in leadership and perceptions of an ethical climate. Further, both trust in the leader and procedural justice indirectly influenced the relationship between servant leadership and ethical climate.

scholarly journals Budgeting for Success

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-42
Author(s):  
Kelly Elliot ◽  
Tim Kellison
Keyword(s):  
Predominantly White ◽  
Historically Black ◽  
Peer Groups ◽  
Black Colleges ◽  
Predominantly White Institutions ◽  
Athletic Programs ◽  
Historically Black Colleges ◽  
Athletic Department ◽  
Athletic Departments ◽  
White Institutions

There has been little research into the comparison of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to predominantly white institutions (PWIs) in recent years.  With growing athletic department budgets, it is important to understand how HBCUs financially compare to their PWI counterparts.  Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine how HBCU athletic departments compare to their peer PWIs in terms of athletic department spending and to conduct a budgetary analysis of HBCU athletic departments. To examine differences in athletics budgets, data were collected from the U.S. Department of Education’s Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA) Survey.  NCAA member institution peer groups with HBCU members were selected for this study.  Institutional data include salary, recruitment, operation, and scholarship expenses and revenue for peer groups. An ANOVA was conducted to compare peer institutions, institutions in the same region, by division, and overall.  The results indicated HBCU peer groups are spending significantly less compared to their PWI counterparts.  Additionally, among HBCU institutions, most athletic programs are spending the most on athletic aid expenses.  Similarly, HBCUs are earning significantly less revenue compared to their peers. Athletic department administrators can use the results of this study to help create budgets comparable to peer institutions. 

Japanese university students’ views on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals based on previous encounters

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nasa Ikuta ◽  
Yuji Koike ◽  
Naoko Aoyagi ◽  
Akira Matsuzaka ◽  
Kenji Ishihara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Educational System ◽  
Sexual Minorities ◽  
School Life ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Japanese University ◽  
Bisexual And Transgender ◽  
Lgbt People ◽  
Japanese Youth ◽  
Lgbt Individuals

Abstract Objective: To elucidate the acceptability of sexual minorities according to Japanese youth, we conducted a survey targeting university students. Methods: Participants were second- to fourth-year students (n=945) at Ibaraki University, Japan, who were randomly chosen for the survey to measure their attitudes toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals. We divided the respondents into two groups: one group who had encounters with LGBT people, and one group with no such experience. Chi-square tests were used to compare responses between the groups. Results: More than 60% of the students considered LGBT people to be acceptable; the group with prior encounters had greater levels of acceptance compared to the group without such encounters. Conclusion: This is the first study to clarify the acceptability of sexual minorities among university students in Japan. Our data suggested that having contact with LGBT people in school life may help build an inclusive educational system.

Athletic Directors’ Perceptions of Environmental Control Over Interuniversity Athletics

1995 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison J. Armstrong-Doherty
Keyword(s):  
Perceived Control ◽  
Athletic Directors ◽  
Environmental Control ◽  
Athletic Department ◽  
Athletic Departments ◽  
Degree Of Control ◽  
Organizational Activities

Interuniversity athletic departments face an ever-increasing number and complexity of factors in their environment, which may impact on their organizational activities to varying degrees. The head athletic directors at 34 of the 45 (76%) Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union (CIAU) member institutions rated the degree of control of 15 environmental elements over seven basic activities of the athletic department. The athletic department was perceived to function relatively independent of broad environmental control, with the exception of establishing and supporting a philosophy of interuniversity athletics. It appears that perceived control is a multidimensional phenomenon that varies across the environmental elements and the activities of the athletic department.

Multi Criteria Decision-Making: Ticket Sales Outsourcing in an NCAA Division I Athletic Department

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seungbum Lee ◽  
Matthew Juravich
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Intercollegiate Athletics ◽  
Multi Criteria Decision Making ◽  
Athletic Department ◽  
Athletic Departments ◽  
Ticket Sales ◽  
Intercollegiate Sport ◽  
Division 1 ◽  
The Status ◽  
Outsourcing Decision

Outsourcing in sport is not a new phenomenon. Specifically, outsourcing in intercollegiate sport has become common among athletic departments across the NCAA. While outsourcing can be employed to generate increased revenues via enhanced sales, marketing, or fundraising functions, many midmajor institutions are utilizing outsourcing partners exclusively to manage ticket sales. As such, this case presents a scenario in which an athletic director and her management team are faced with assessing three options related to ticket sales outsourcing at a midmajor NCAA Division 1 institution. Utilizing the lens of multi criteria decision-making, financial, nonfinancial, and circumstantial data are provided for readers to address an outsourcing decision in the context of intercollegiate athletics. By examining three options including maintaining the status quo, considering another outsourcing partner, or bringing ticket sales operations in-house, this case provides an opportunity for students to investigate the role of ticket sales outsourcing as it relates to revenue generation, a pertinent issue for athletic departments across the NCAA.

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