scholarly journals Internationalisation of a Global Sporting Product: The Case of Rugby 7s

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Oliver Perkinson

<p>Sports are continuing to grow in prominence and possess similar attributes to multinational corporations. However, there is currently a lack of knowledge around the internationalisation of sports in business literature. Research is heavily centred on the sport of soccer, with a focus on historical accounts of how sport has shaped national identities of nations and the cross-national diffusion of sports across national borders. This research has been driven due to the focus on the topic by the fields of sociology and political science which both contribute heavily to the literature. This thesis aims to create a focus on emerging sports such as rugby, using real-time and current accounts of how internationalisation is currently being impacted and shifting the literature into the international business field. In order to do this, two research questions are asked: How is Rugby 7s internationalising? And How does Rugby 7s manage the key decision points in internationalisation? The use of decision points looks at going beyond applying theoretical frameworks to the research and directly seeks to find the key decisions that sports managers face when internationalising.  This study is designed in an exploratory way with semi-structured interviews used to explore and better understand the phenomena of sports internationalisation. To ensure all perspectives from stakeholders were covered a single case study with embedded units was applied to the study. With the results of the interviews then triangulated with a secondary data set. The analysis of the findings shows the executives faced difficult decisions within the areas of market selection, mode of entry, adaptation and standardisation and long term commitment. The results show that Rugby 7s as a product has been heavily shaped by numerous forces such as culture and knowledge of the markets. With the events individually being unique, however, as a collective product Rugby 7s can be identified as one product as a ‘glocal’ approach has been implemented by executives. Further research should continue looking at other emerging sports to gain a wider understanding of sports internationalisation. By doing this it increases the knowledge and understanding of the phenomena and can be used to establish frameworks for future research.</p>

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Oliver Perkinson

<p>Sports are continuing to grow in prominence and possess similar attributes to multinational corporations. However, there is currently a lack of knowledge around the internationalisation of sports in business literature. Research is heavily centred on the sport of soccer, with a focus on historical accounts of how sport has shaped national identities of nations and the cross-national diffusion of sports across national borders. This research has been driven due to the focus on the topic by the fields of sociology and political science which both contribute heavily to the literature. This thesis aims to create a focus on emerging sports such as rugby, using real-time and current accounts of how internationalisation is currently being impacted and shifting the literature into the international business field. In order to do this, two research questions are asked: How is Rugby 7s internationalising? And How does Rugby 7s manage the key decision points in internationalisation? The use of decision points looks at going beyond applying theoretical frameworks to the research and directly seeks to find the key decisions that sports managers face when internationalising.  This study is designed in an exploratory way with semi-structured interviews used to explore and better understand the phenomena of sports internationalisation. To ensure all perspectives from stakeholders were covered a single case study with embedded units was applied to the study. With the results of the interviews then triangulated with a secondary data set. The analysis of the findings shows the executives faced difficult decisions within the areas of market selection, mode of entry, adaptation and standardisation and long term commitment. The results show that Rugby 7s as a product has been heavily shaped by numerous forces such as culture and knowledge of the markets. With the events individually being unique, however, as a collective product Rugby 7s can be identified as one product as a ‘glocal’ approach has been implemented by executives. Further research should continue looking at other emerging sports to gain a wider understanding of sports internationalisation. By doing this it increases the knowledge and understanding of the phenomena and can be used to establish frameworks for future research.</p>


2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
FILIPE C. VIEIRA ◽  
HAMILCAR V. DO VALE ◽  
MÁRCIA R. MAY

ABSTRACT Purpose: To understand how Embrapa Forestry Unit structure its business model to manage better the issues inherent to open innovation, oriented to the management of technology, science delimiting the elements of business models, and inbound and outbound open innovation and their aspects related to impact model. Originality/value: Embrapa Forestry is a research unit focused on technological research in the commercial and non-commercial forestry sector. The central objective of this work was to evaluate how a public company manages its business model in the practical exercise of open innovation. Design/methodology/approach: In order to understand the company’s business model, we adopted the perspective of triangulated single case study between semi-structured interviews and secondary data review based on reports and memos. This is all due to the technological relevance that used open innovation to design a model that today we understand as business models and impact business model, with the data collected and analyzed using the Atlas.ti software. Findings: The results indicate that the importance of Embrapa in the technological scenario in Brazilian agriculture has a significant socioeconomic impact. As a variant, we recognize that, for future research, other theoretical models could be used or adapted to the Brazilian empirical context to understand other organizational elements not addressed in the present study, which can explore cultural relations of the organization and the constitution of sense and meanings in the context of the innovation in public research companies.


2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (10) ◽  
pp. 1925-1948 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jantje Halberstadt ◽  
Jana-Michaela Timm ◽  
Sascha Kraus ◽  
Katherine Gundolf

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to elaborate on how service learning approaches are able to foster social entrepreneurship competences. The aim of the paper is to formulate a framework of key competences for social entrepreneurship and to give first insights in how service learning actually has an impact on change in students’ set of competences. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses a mixed-methods approach combining qualitative data collectionmethods of learning diaries of the students and semi-structured interviews, including 40 master’s students studying at a German university in interdisciplinary learning settings and five instructors from the same universities. Analysis was carried out by means of qualitative content analysis. Findings This paper provides empirical insights about the competences that are being fostered by service learning. From these, a framework for social entrepreneurship competences is being derived. Research limitations/implications The set of competences should be further investigated, as it was derived out of a small data set. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to use the set of competences for social entrepreneurship as a basis for future research and on a longer-term perspective, which lead to substantial implications for educational practice. Practical implications This paper includes implications for new perspectives on service learning in the light of the development of a relevant framework for social entrepreneurship competence, having significant implications for educational practice in social entrepreneurship education. Originality/value With this paper, the authors fulfill the need of a framework of social entrepreneurship competences that serves as a foundation for educational practice and further research in the context of service learning and beyond.


2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-15
Author(s):  
YongJei Lee ◽  
SooHyun O

By operationalizing two theoretical frameworks, we forecast crime hot spots in Colorado Springs. First, we use a population heterogeneity (flag) framework to find places where the hot spot forecasting is consistently successful over months. Second, we use a state dependence (boost) framework of the number of crimes in the periods prior to the forecasted month. This algorithm is implemented in Microsoft Excel®, making it simple to apply and completely transparent. Results shows high accuracy and high efficiency in hot spot forecasting, even if the data set and the type of crime we used in this study were different from what the original algorithm was based on. Results imply that the underlying mechanisms of serious and non-serious crime for forecasting are different from each other. We also find that the spatial patterns of forecasted hot spots are different between calls for service and crime event. Future research should consider both flag and boost theories in hot spot forecasting.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carson Duan ◽  
Bernice Kotey ◽  
Kamaljeet Sandhu

PurposeThe purpose of this theoretical paper is to explore how immigrants' home-country entrepreneurial ecosystem (EE) factors impact transnational immigrant entrepreneurs (TIEs). The paper draws on the dual embeddedness and transnational entrepreneurship theories to explore how the home-country EE influences transnational immigrant entrepreneurship (TIE).Design/methodology/approachThis research adopted a qualitative case study methodology involving content analysis of secondary data. It analyzed data set against the existing EE framework to constructively explore the home-country effects.FindingsThe findings reveal that all home-country EE domains and associated factors affect TIEs. The paper established six testable propositions with regard to the home-country EE domains: accessible market, human capital, social culture, infrastructure and business support and government policies. A number of new factors were identified for each home-country EE domain. Finally, the paper provided future research directions.Research limitations/implicationsCare has to be taken in generalizing the findings from this research due to the small sample of contemporary Chinese immigrants in Australia and New Zealand. The propositions also require empirical testing.Practical implicationsThe findings contribute to the TIE literature by identifying new factors of the home-country EE and presenting testable propositions. The results have impact on immigration policies and programs.Social implicationsTransnational immigrant entrepreneurship can be a pathway to help immigrants to integrate into mainstream society. The findings from this article indirectly contribute to immigrant social development.Originality/valueThis original article fills research gaps by analyzing how home-country EE elements affect TIE. It reveals that the EE framework is effective for investigating it.


2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (7) ◽  
pp. 643-670 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karine Picot-Coupey

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is first, to describe the characteristics of a pop-up store in an international context, second, to investigate the motivating factors for its choice and third, to analyze its role in the retail internationalization process. Design/methodology/approach – A multiple-case study was adopted. Research was carried out using secondary data sources, social media observation and semi-structured interviews with senior managers in charge of the international development and management of pop-up stores. A conceptualizing content analysis was conducted both manually and with NVivo software. Findings – The main results cover the following aspects of an international pop-up store and highlight the differences between this choice of FOM and other store formats: key characteristics: location, design and atmosphere, merchandise mix, and store events are very creative in order to attract foreign consumer attention; choice motivations: three motivations were found, which were first, to test and adapt the concept with foreign consumers possibly unfamiliar with such a store concept, second, to raise and sustain the international profile of a retail brand, and third, to develop relationship networks with stakeholders in foreign markets; role in the retail internationalization process: a dynamic approach is adopted as role varies from mode switch at the entry stage to mode combination at the further expansion stage. Research limitations/implications – The results of this research suggest avenues for future research, particularly in relation to how the concept of the international pop-up store will evolve over time. Practical implications – This research provides guidelines for international retail managers wishing to choose a pop-up store as a foreign operation mode (FOM). Originality/value – This research provides a new insight into the characteristics, choice motivations and management of a pop-up store in an international context.


2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Byung Il Park ◽  
Taewoo Roh

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to complement the conventional international business (IB) theory, the OLI perspective, which is good at explaining the foreign direct investments (FDIs) undertaken by developed market multinational corporations (DMNCs). This study also suggests a new theoretical framework, namely, the OILL paradigm, that is able to encompass FDIs from emerging market multinational corporations (EMNCs) toward developed economies. Design/methodology/approach The data comprising 206 Chinese MNCs, which completed international mergers and acquisitions (IMAs), were obtained from Zephyr. By using these data, logical regressions are conducted to statistically confirm that we should not omit the learning motivation if we want to adequately understand the FDI phenomenon by encompassing investment flow from developing (or emerging) to developed countries. Findings The results based on this data set indicate that EMNCs often try to enter developed economies with the motivation to seek sophisticated foreign host knowledge that is not available internally. In particular, they tend to use IMA strategies when they want to learn from heterogeneity (i.e. inter-industry mergers and acquisitions) and absorb advanced technologies from DMNCs. Research limitations/implications By shedding light on the recent new trend in FDI (i.e. FDI from emerging countries to developed economies), the study provides useful theoretical implications, as well as suggesting scholarly contributions. However, we should acknowledge that there are some limitations to this study. First, the study explores only Chinese MNCs. Second, learning motivations need to be minutely and precisely measured by other studies. Third, this study argues that FDI from EMNCs to DMNCs is triggered by the former’s motivation concerning knowledge acquisition. However, the type of knowledge should be considered, and this is perhaps another avenue for future research. Practical implications Conventional IB theories, such as the OLI paradigm and internalization theory, have long sought to answer the question of why DMNCs go for foreign markets, in spite of the presence of the liabilities of foreignness, and focused on their main investment motivations (i.e. market-seeking, efficiency-seeking and resource-seeking motivations). For this reason, these theories do not adequately capture the primary FDI motivations of EMNCs, and consequently, they are unable to see the big picture when it comes to the FDI phenomenon. Based on this idea, the authors complement the well-known triad motivations (i.e. market-seeking, efficiency-seeking and resource-seeking motivations) by adding the knowledge-seeking motive and contribute to the evolution of IB theories by suggesting a new theory, which is the OILL paradigm. Originality/value The study contributes to the extant literature in the field of IB in two key ways. First, it examines EMNCs’ central motivations in conducting FDI where empirical research is sparse. By doing this, this paper attempts to solve the query indicated above (i.e. why MNCs choose FDI in spite of the presence of the liabilities of foreignness), and it offers a new theory (i.e. the OILL paradigm).


2015 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 493-507 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heikki Moilanen ◽  
Mirje Halla ◽  
Pauli Alin

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to increase the understanding of decision making of managers of intermediary organizations in university-industry (UI) collaboration by probing managerial perceptions of openness in that context. Design/methodology/approach – The authors conducted 11 semi-structured interviews of managers of intermediary organizations in the context of UI collaboration. Using Grounded Theory, the authors analyzed how the managers talked about openness. Findings – The authors found that the managers perceived openness in four distinct ways: first, openness as driven by management of the relationship, second, openness as driven by bringing people together, third, openness as a driver of co-creation and fourth, openness as a driver of beneficial results. From these findings the authors induce a framework for perception of openness. Research limitations/implications – The findings are based on a relatively limited data set, which is a limitation of the study. Future research should study whether differences in perception of openness exist among different contexts or partners of UI collaboration. Practical implications – The findings can potentially provide useful guidance to managers in UI collaboration as to how better understand the important concept of openness in that context. Originality/value – This study addresses the lack of research on managerial perceptions on openness in the context in UI collaboration. Probing managerial perceptions of openness provides us with better understanding of managerial decision making in UI collaboration. The study contributes to scientific discussions on managerial perceptions of openness and to discussions on managerial decision making in UI collaboration.


2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (01) ◽  
pp. 64-76
Author(s):  
Krishna Regmi

BackgroundAlthough considerable attention has been paid to the use of quantitative methods in health research, there has been limited focus on decentralisation research using a qualitative-driven mixed method design. Decentralisation presents both a problematic concept and methodological challenges, and is morecontext-specificand is oftenmulti-dimensional. Researchers often consider using more than one method design when researching phenomena is complex in nature.AimTo explore the effects of decentralisation on the provision of primary healthcare services.MethodsQualitative-driven mixed method design, employing three methods of data collections: focus group discussions (FGDs), semi-structured interviews (SSIs) and participant observations under two components, that is, core component and supplementary components were used. Four FGDs with health service practitioners, three FGDs with district stakeholders, 20 SSIs with health service users and 20 SSIs with national stakeholders were carried out. These were conducted sequentially. NVivo10, a data management program, was utilised to code the field data, employing a content analysis method for searching the underlying themes or concepts in the text material.FindingsBoth positive and negative experiences related to access, quality, planning, supplies, coordination and supervision were identified.ConclusionThis study suggests some evidence of the effects of decentralisation on health outcomes in general, as well as filling a gap of understanding and examining healthcare through a qualitative-driven mixed methods approach, in particular. Future research in the area of qualitative in-depth understanding of the problems (why decentralisation, why now and what for) would provoke an important data set that benefits the researchers and policy-makers for planning and implementing effective health services.


2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 2499-2516 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Schofield ◽  
Phil Crowther ◽  
Leo Jago ◽  
John Heeley ◽  
Scott Taylor

PurposeThis paper aims to contribute to theory concerning collaborative innovation through stakeholder engagement with reference to Glasgow City Marketing Bureau’s (GCMB’s) management strategies, which represent UK best practice in events procurement, leveraging and destination branding.Design/methodology/approachThe research adopts a case study design to facilitate an in-depth evaluation of the destination marketing organisation’s (DMO’s) critical success factors. Multiple perspectives on GCMB’s collaborative innovation are achieved through semi-structured interviews with senior managers from the bureau, key stakeholders and other DMOs.FindingsGCMB’s success results from long-term, extensive, collaborative engagement, a unique institutional structure and sustained political and financial support through to transformational leadership, strategic event selection and targeted marketing through “earned” distribution channels.Research limitations/implicationsThe study takes a single case study approach and focusses on GCMB’s event-led branding strategy. Given the importance but relative neglect of long-term inter-personal relationships in collaborative innovation, future research should focus on the development of social capital and adopt a longitudinal perspective.Practical implicationsThe paper provides insights into the collaborative innovation process with a range of stakeholders, which underpins GCMB’s events strategy and its leveraging of the city brand. In particular, the study highlights the need for entrepreneurial leadership and the development of long-term relationships for effective engagement with stakeholders.Originality/valuePrevious research has focussed on outcomes and neglected pre-requisites and the process of collaborative innovation between destination stakeholders. This study examines this issue from the perspective of a successful DMO and presents a conceptual framework and new engagement dimensions that address this gap in knowledge.


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