scholarly journals How Efficient are the Romanian Sports Federations? A Theoretical and Experimental Approach

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Constanta-Valentina Mihaila ◽  
◽  
Gabriela Alina Paraschiva ◽  
Laurentiu Mihai Mihail ◽  
◽  
...  

Examining the links between performance and financial issues has been, and still is, subject of a great number of researches both in the business and in the non-profit environment. In this respect, the world of sports has not been bypassed either, using concepts and / or instruments from accounting, economics or statistic areas in order to analyse a firm or an NGO in the sport industry and his success. The present study represents one of the first attempt to value the Romanian sports federations’ activity which is not based solely on the scores attained following places and medals won by athletes participating in the national and international competition system. And it is intended to identify an appropriate methodology to highlight how efficient the sports federations have been in 2019 year, reporting the results obtained to the resources used, from a domestic perspective (meaning the participation in national sports events and the scores obtained). This paper addresses 12 Romanian sports federations (out of 75 federations on sport branches) and their efficiency, through the lens of several input, output and outcome indicators, using public data gathered from various sources - the Romanian Ministry of Finance, the National Institute of Statistics, the Romanian Ministry of Youth and Sports. Using statistical tools, such as Spearman rank correlation, as well as statistical methods, such as standardization, we developed an efficiency calculation methodology, which could be used to support managerial team to improve and / or reshape federations' activities, if necessary.

Author(s):  
Simon Chadwick

This chapter presents an overview of sports business in the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states. GCC member states stage mega-sports events and invest in global sports through the acquisition of football clubs, for example. Shirt sponsorship and stadium naming rights deals of the region’s national airlines aim to create favorable perceptions of the companies and their nations as well as to diversify economies beyond oil and gas. This chapter also provides a statistical profile of sport in each GCC member state and shows that Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman are lagging far behind Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar in terms of sport industry size. Fluctuating oil prices, political tensions between GCC states, and weak attendance at games are serious threats to the future growth of the sport industry. Our conclusion is that the private sector needs to develop extensively in order to replace the state as the industry’s central focus.


Kybernetes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (7) ◽  
pp. 1969-1986
Author(s):  
Monika Mačiulienė ◽  
Aelita Skaržauskienė

Purpose An increasingly urbanized global population is facing multiple, inter-related and inter-connected challenges. By applying the so-called Living Lab concept, the authors open up innovation processes through online and offline collaborations between urban policymakers, non-profit organizations, citizens and other stakeholder groups. However, much of the current research being conducted on Living Labs is lacking in empirically tested methodologies for the co-creation of sustainable urban innovations in defined contexts. This research is intended to fill this gap by presenting a systemic approach to digital co-creation processes in Living Labs. The purpose of this paper is to present the first evaluation results of European Living Labs by applying the new developed digital co-creation monitoring technique. Design/methodology/approach By emphasizing the interplay between places, technology and people, the Digital Co-Creation Index (DCCI) calculation methodology provides a systemic understanding of the basic factors shaping the co-creative processes in Living Labs. DCCI has been used to evaluate such labs in four different European cities: Aukštamiestis in Vilnius, Lithuania; Alvalade in Lisbon, Portugal; Città Studi in Milano, Italy and Zuid Park in Ghent, Belgium. The empirical data for assessment and index calculation were collected by using a mixed-method approach (i.e. qualitative and quantitative analysis). Findings While the findings are complex and varied, the case studies in this paper share several characteristics and patterns – the attractiveness of physical spaces, opportunities for experimentation, the density and diversity of stakeholders involved and the emergence of creative communities that co-design novel initiatives. The results show that digital technologies are underused in the evaluated Living Labs. Research limitations/implications The results are limited to a comparison of the European Living Labs in the research sample. In the absence of an index that was obtained, designed and tested in other territorial contexts, the comparative value of the outcomes of this research can be established between only four case studies. The authors anticipate that the implementation of the C3Places project and other research activities will yield even more scientific results. The findings and their implications should be discussed and tested in the broadest context possible. By focusing on creative synergy between places, technology and people, this paper presents a unified and empirically validated systemic approach to assessing digital co-creation efforts in urban planning. Originality/value Unlike previous research, this paper presents a unified and empirically based approach to assessing digital co-creation efforts in urban planning by emphasizing interplay between place, technology and people.


2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 365-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diane Breesch ◽  
Steven Vos ◽  
Jeroen Scheerder

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze whether the fitness industry in Belgium is financially viable in its position as a growing commercial player within the framework of the European sport model where non-profit and public sport providers still have a strong impact. Design/methodology/approach – The authors evaluate the financial performance of the Belgian fitness industry using a time-trend analysis applying a cross-sectional research design for the years 2002 through 2007. Findings – The analysis shows that the Belgian fitness industry is not able to generate positive income figures despite large increases in sales revenues. In particular fitness chains generally accumulate losses. However, the Belgian fitness industry pursues an active investment policy resulting in high noncash expenses in depreciations negatively influencing accounting profit numbers. The operating cash flow generated by the Belgian fitness industry is, nevertheless, largely positive. Although no immediate liquidity problem exists, the fitness industry needs to improve its profitability in the long run in order to stay in business. Research limitations/implications – This study can be a starting point for further and more in depth financial performance evaluations of commercial actors in the field of sport. Differences and similarities between European countries should be investigated in order to generalize the findings. Practical implications – The conclusions could support regulators in policy decisions and business managers in strategic decisions relying on financial information in order to pilot their organization. Originality/value – Analyzing the financial performance of a sport industry at a national scale is challenging. However, this kind of analysis is not frequently performed for commercial sport providers such as the fitness industry. This is precisely where this paper wants to contribute.


2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Aigboje Joseph Ekhayemhe ◽  
Susan Oguzie

This study examines the relationship between rewards and employee’s motivation in four selected non-profit organizations in Abuja, Nigeria. The employees of the four organizations (Action Aid Nigeria, African Development Foundation (ADF), African Youth Growth Foundation (AYGF) and Think Nigeria First Initiative) were taken as sample of the study. The objectives of this study were to find out the relationship between rewards and employees’ performance in the non-profit organizations in Abuja, Nigeria and also to ascertain the extent to which both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards impact on employees' performance. Self-designed questionnaire was used for data collection.180 questionnaires were distributed and 154 were returned, hence the response rate was 83.2%. The data was analyzed using the techniques of rank correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis. All the findings were tested at 0.01 and 0.05 level of significance. The result concludes that there is a direct relationship between extrinsic rewards and employee’s motivation. However, intrinsic rewards found an insignificant impact on employee motivation.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 155-170
Author(s):  
Dobrosław Jerzy Mańkowski

Capitalism plays a significant role in the process of commercialization of sport. The bureaucratization, professionalization, politics and policy change legitimate organizational activities (Oliver 1992). The external process of bureaucratization, which is ‘the organizational manifestation of the rationalization of social life’ (Slack & Hinings 1994: 806) transforms sport organizations. The new environment of sport organizations moves them from voluntary organization to formal organizations with professional staff. This work identifies impact of external processes such as bureaucratization, professionalization and commercialization on sport organization. The focus is on the environmental pressures which change practices (procedures) in sport organizations. The article shows the changes in the field of sport and the processes of excluding voluntary, non-profit sport organization from competitions in elite sport. The last section of the article presents an alternative point of view on volunteers in sport industry.


2019 ◽  
pp. 118-128
Author(s):  
L. Kmeco ◽  
J. Mezulanik ◽  
A. Kascakova ◽  
M. Civelek

The main purpose of the research is to examine selected demand factors for cultural events in tourism in the Czech Republic. Eight hypotheses are formulated. The primary research was carried out in the form of a questionnaire. There were 1666 respondents interviewed in various tourist destinations in the Czech Republic. While testing the hypotheses the Friedman test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, the Mann-Whitney U test, and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient are used. We confirm the hypotheses that the residents of the Czech Republic think that cultural events are organized more frequently than sports events, shopping events (e.g. markets, trades), exhibitions and fairs, and religious events in the Czech Republic, the motives for participation in cultural events are mainly experience and entertainment, women more often participate in cultural events than men, men more often attend sports events than women, and people take the greatest pleasure to participate in cultural events and not in the other events (sports events, shopping events, exhibitions and fairs, and religious events). We reject the hypotheses that summer is the best season for organizing events, that families are more likely to participate in cultural events than single people or people with friends, and that advertising in mass media has the greatest influence on the decision to visit cultural events. The benefit of the paper is to focus the research on a new area of tourism development in the Czech Republic – organizing events at tourist destinations and trying to reveal the impact of various factors on demand for cultural events. Organization of events in tourism is a relatively large area, therefore, it opens further possibilities of exploring this issue in terms of the organized events' impact on tourist destinations, the offering of organized events, managing organized events. Keywords: cultural events, exhibitions, fairs, Friedman test, Mann-Whitney U test, Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient, shopping events, sports events, Wilcoxon signed-rank test.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 4836-4842

Recently, volunteering has become a global trend and the number of volunteers has increased significantly at special events. Sports events are the most common special events which can be defined as a function or "occasion" that aims to raise money for the community or the non-profit group that organizes it, in terms of fundraising. There are many types of special events, each with its own complexity and relevance to different groups. Many sporting events rely on volunteers who play a crucial role in the success of an event. It is therefore the responsibility of the organizer and the management to understand the motivation and satisfaction of the volunteers, which will lead to new volunteers for future sporting events. Understanding the motivations of volunteers and ensuring that they can successfully accomplish the different roles required to achieve their goals is challenging. In order to recruit and retain enough volunteers at sporting events, it is important to understand clearly motivating factors that lead to volunteer satisfaction, to develop a successful volunteer retention strategy so that the organizer can recruit and keep enough volunteers at sporting events. Nevertheless, with these limitations, this study will highlight the motivational factors that can affect volunteering. The researcher's project should therefore build on the ideas that emerge from the theory of self-determination (SDT). The SDT is applied in this conceptual research paper to discuss the volunteers’ motivation to volunteer for special sporting event using VMS-ISE motivation scale. The volunteers' satisfaction with volunteering at special sporting events is also measured. This research ends with a conceptual framework in which motivational factors and the satisfaction of volunteers are discussed.


1966 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 201-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Jowett

SUMMARYCertain statistical techniques, useful in collecting and interpreting ordinal data, are described and their applicability in plant breeding explained. It is suggested that these statistical techniques may be particularly valuable to plant breeders in determining taste Preferences. A series of experiments are described, investigating the taste Preferences of the Itero of Uganda, who show a strong preference for a mixture of cassava, sorghum and Eleusine millet for food. They do not apparently prefer white sorghum grains for food, nor coloured grains for beer, although such Preferences have been recorded elsewhere. They dislike maize and Pennisetum millet. It is suggested that an experimental approach to quality in the breeding of tropical food crops is both desirable and possible, using rank correlation techniques.


2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (7) ◽  
pp. 785-794 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Rundh ◽  
Patrik Gottfridsson

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate how the arena concept is used in sports marketing. The prevailing situation and the development of the arena concept require a combination between sport, business and entertainment. Design/methodology/approach – To fulfil the aim of this study, we have used a qualitative method in the form of a case study. Secondary data and personal interviews were mainly used. Even though an interview guide was used, the key informants were allowed to tell their stories freely and discuss the development of the arena concept over time. Field observations have also been an important input in the process. Findings – In delivering the sport event, there is a complex set of actors that must interact and intervene with each other. This paper contributes to the sport marketing field by analyzing the market situation in a network perspective. It also gives an idea of the relative positions of the organisations making up the network. When a sport club is delivering a sport event, there is a complex set of actors that must interact and intervene with each other, which those actors are and what they bring to the network depends on if you consider the network from a non-commercial sport point of view, or from a business and commercial point of view. In a traditional perspective, the side of the network that is based on the non-commercial or sport side consists of actors that are volunteers and engaged in the team for the fascination of sport. Research limitations/implications – The arena concept has been an important part in building relationships with different business actors in relation to the surrounding actors and the community. The activity-resource-actor model provides the analytical tools for analyzing the actors, resources and activities for developing the marketing strategy for a sport club. Originality/value – This paper provides a unique insight into how a sports club has been able to use different resources to create a successful incubation from primarily being a non-profit organisation. The arena concept has been an important part in building relationships with different business actors in relation to the surrounding actors and the community.


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