Sport Economics, Marketing and Tourism
Samar Atta Jafar; Rahim Ramezani nejhad; Nooshin Benar
Abstract
Objective: The purpose of the present research was to present a smart sports tourism model in order to develop sustainable sports tourism in the Kurdistan Region based on structural modeling.Methodology: This research is quantitative in terms of implementation, applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-survey ...
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Objective: The purpose of the present research was to present a smart sports tourism model in order to develop sustainable sports tourism in the Kurdistan Region based on structural modeling.Methodology: This research is quantitative in terms of implementation, applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-survey type. The statistical population of the research included all tourists in the tourist areas of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq who were selected through purposeful and accessible sampling (223 people). For measurement, a researcher-made questionnaire with 71 items and a Likert scale scoring system were used, and SmartPLS version 4 software was used for data analysis and modeling.Results: The results showed that in the designed model of smart sports tourism, the requirements for the development of smart sports tourism (smart economy, smart society, smart governance, and smart technologies) with an impact coefficient of 0.932 had an impact on smart sports tourism services (smart nutrition, smart attraction, smart transportation, smart shopping, and smart payment) with an impact coefficient of 0.423 on the sustainable development of smart sports tourism, and the conceptual model of the research was confirmed.Conclusion: Implementing the requirements for smart tourism in all four macro-level areas, such as governance, society, economy, and technology, will lead to the development of sustainable sports tourism, and managers and responsible institutions must strengthen smart platforms in these sectors so that smart services in sports tourism can have an impact on the development of sports tourism.
Sport Development and Sustainable Development
Mohammad Sadegh Vaghar; Hamidreza Goharrostami; Rahim Ramzaninezhad
Abstract
Objective: This study aims to propose a framework for aligning sports development pathways by leveraging the capacities of sports organizations in Iran.Methodology: This qualitative research employed thematic analysis with the participation of 16 experienced sports management professors and managers. ...
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Objective: This study aims to propose a framework for aligning sports development pathways by leveraging the capacities of sports organizations in Iran.Methodology: This qualitative research employed thematic analysis with the participation of 16 experienced sports management professors and managers. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and systematic literature review. The validity and reliability of the data were confirmed through expert review and coder agreement.Findings: The analysis yielded 170 conceptual codes, 39 sub-themes, 11 main themes, and 5 overarching themes, including organizational capacity assessment, system capacity building, capacity utilization, development alignment, and sustainable capacity for sports development and peace. The results indicated that effective use of organizational capacities requires addressing challenges, adapting to environmental conditions, structural and managerial efficiency, systemic capacity identification, strategic interventions, and optimization of mechanisms.Conclusion: The study underscores the need for an integrated and purposeful approach to harness the diverse capacities of sports organizations to achieve sustainable development goals in Iranian sport. Without comprehensive capacity recognition and strategic utilization within theoretical and operational frameworks, such goals remain unattainable. The proposed model provides a practical tool for policymakers and sports managers to revise strategies, strengthen organizational infrastructures, and enhance cross-sectoral coordination, thereby facilitating sustainable sports development and promoting its national and international role.
Sport Governance and Policy-Making
Maryam Besharatimoghadam; Rahim Ramzaninejad; Mohammad Mahdi Rahmati
Abstract
Objective: The aim of this research was to explain the legitimizing functions of sport in the health domain.Methodology: The present study was conducted using a qualitative approach and thematic analysis. Required data were collected through a systematic search in reputable scientific databases and analyzed ...
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Objective: The aim of this research was to explain the legitimizing functions of sport in the health domain.Methodology: The present study was conducted using a qualitative approach and thematic analysis. Required data were collected through a systematic search in reputable scientific databases and analyzed in six stages (including familiarization with data, identification of keywords, coding, theme development, conceptualization, and developing a conceptual model). The validity and reliability of the research were confirmed through expert review in the field and using Cohen's Kappa coefficient (0.7).Results: The findings were organized into 9 main themes, indicating that the legitimizing functions of sport in the health domain are a complex construct of multiple factors. These themes were: Health as a socio-cultural construct; Healthy lifestyle through physical activity; Health in institutional contexts (education and leisure); Self-care and transcendence through sport; The medicalization of sport (with its legitimizing aspects and ethical challenges); Social and cultural dimensions of injury and pain; Physical activity as a health governance project; Sport and health as ideology; and Individual and social dimensions of health management.Conclusion: The legitimacy of sport in the health domain is a dual and multifaceted phenomenon. On the one hand, this legitimacy is reinforced through institutionalization, medical discourse, and health policymaking, transforming sport into an empowering tool for promoting individual and social health. On the other hand, this very process can become a mechanism for exerting social control, imposing cultural norms, reproducing inequalities, and creating ethical conflicts.
Rahim Ramezaninejad
Abstract
In science, theory can serve as the foundation for teaching/education, research, and practice/action. Theory should be the basis of teaching and a means for graduates to apply theory to practice in the workplace. In particular, teaching at the postgraduate level must be theory-driven, or course subjects ...
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In science, theory can serve as the foundation for teaching/education, research, and practice/action. Theory should be the basis of teaching and a means for graduates to apply theory to practice in the workplace. In particular, teaching at the postgraduate level must be theory-driven, or course subjects must be theorized and presented within a structured framework. Using theory in teaching, especially in postgraduate studies, raises new questions and issues regarding past research and the theorizing process. It allows students to go beyond a merely descriptive understanding of phenomena and gain a deeper insight into how, why, and when activities occur. Furthermore, it can help researchers develop better theories. Therefore, sports management students must master theory-based knowledge to think analytically and critically about the phenomena facing this field, and they must explore and explain the relationships between variables in sports management more thoroughly. Rather than simply telling students how to act and what the best practices are, they should be exposed to theory in various situations so they can describe, predict, and control events both inside and outside the sports organization; theory-based teaching makes this possible. Researchers recommend that management Ph.D students write theoretical papers to ensure that theorizing does not become a lost or unlearned art.
On the other hand, theory-based teaching and theoretical critique expand the student’s perspective on the phenomena they have experienced in the real world. Theory-driven teaching reveals the strengths and weaknesses inherent in a subject. Instructors of postgraduate courses should also incorporate their own research findings into their teaching. In this way, the application of theory can be more effective if it is integrated as a part of learning process. Naturally, this is a very common practice in postgraduate curricula, and it helps both students and professors engage in further theorizing within sports management. It also enhances the student’s ability to systematically analyze or frame challenging topics in sports management.
Examining the textbooks that are authored and recommended to students for educational purposes partially reflects how well their content is organized within an appropriate framework. It also indicates the extent to which these books contain the author’s coherent views derived from previous studies, field experiences, observations, and research. Although internship and practicum experiences in educational programs are designed to put knowledge and theory into practice, transferring and discussing the experiences from those programs in the classroom can make the framing of theoretical concepts more practical and applied. This is especially true given that sports management has a significant need for this approach.
Sport Management and Development
Saeed Abdi; Rahim Ramezaninejad; HamidReza Goharrostami
Abstract
Objective: The goal of the present study was to design a model for professionalizing of student sports.Methodology: The present study was applied in terms of its purpose and descriptive-correlational in nature. The statistical population of the study included experts from the Deputy of Physical Education ...
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Objective: The goal of the present study was to design a model for professionalizing of student sports.Methodology: The present study was applied in terms of its purpose and descriptive-correlational in nature. The statistical population of the study included experts from the Deputy of Physical Education and Health of the Ministry and the Student Sports Federation, the Deputy of Physical Education and Health, heads of physical education departments, experts and physical education teachers of the provinces. A sufficient number of statistical samples were selected for structural equation modeling (369 people) and they responded to a researcher-made questionnaire whose face validity was confirmed by 10 experts and its reliability was confirmed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient (0.99); and structural equation modeling in PLS4 and SPSS26 software was used to analyze the data and examine the model fit..Results: The results showed that the effect of professionalization opportunities and professionalization requirements on professionalization management is positive and significant. The effect of professionalization management on human capital empowerment and optimization of development resources was direct, positive and significant; but it did not have a direct effect on inter-organizational efficiency. Also, human capital empowerment and resource optimization had a direct, positive and significant effect on inter-organizational efficiency, and further, the effect of inter-organizational efficiency on the quality of health and wellness programs, updating of education and learning, and holding standard events and competitions was direct, positive and significant.Conclusion: By considering the context and capacities of student sports and recognizing the paths to professionalization, student sports programs and activities can be moved from a normal level to an advanced level, leading to the professional growth and advancement of student sports.
Rahim Ramezaninejad
Abstract
With the establishment of scientific and professional organizations in the field of sport management such as the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM, 1970), the European Association for Sport Management (EASM, 1993), and the Sport Management Association of Australia and New Zealand (SMAANZ, ...
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With the establishment of scientific and professional organizations in the field of sport management such as the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM, 1970), the European Association for Sport Management (EASM, 1993), and the Sport Management Association of Australia and New Zealand (SMAANZ, 1995) ,other associations were also formed in Asia (ASM), Africa (AASM), Latin America (ALGEDE), and elsewhere. During this period, sport management journals experienced significant growth as well. The first well known sport management journal, the Journal of Sport Management (JSM, 1987), was published by NASSM, and today the number of specialized sport management journals has exceeded 30. Moreover, sport management research is published in more than 100 additional journals related to the field. The Sport Management Digest (SMD) is also published in collaboration with the Russian International Olympic University and the World Association for Sport Management (WASM). In each issue, it analyzes the content of articles from the top 10 sport management journals. In its first volume and first issue (2021), the journal states that NASSM and the efforts of Chelladurai (2005) have greatly influenced the development of sport management knowledge. He an Indian born professor of sport management, is honored annually with an award named after him (the Chella) given to the top sport management researcher.In Iran, there are about 22 specialized sport management journals, around 10 sport science journals related to sport management, and numerous additional non sport journals that also publish research in this area. Since 2010, many articles have analyzed the content of these journals or the entire body of sport management research. Their overall findings show that sport management research has shifted: from descriptive to theoretical (theory driven) approaches; from school and university sport to club sport and non educational sport organizations; from quantitative to qualitative methods; from amateur to professional sport; from men’s sport to gender related topics; and toward theorizing and theory building.Given this trend, it appears that the instruction content in sport management programs and body of knowledge in sport management is no longer determined by the educational and practical needs of sport organizations and occupations. Instead, its future is increasingly shaped by research, especially qualitative studies, theorizing, and theory development. Only through this process can the scientific foundation of the field be strengthened, its status elevated, and its boundaries more clearly distinguished from other sport sciences (such as sport sociology) and non sport fields (such as management). This is what enables the discipline to move from a semiprofession toward becoming a specialized professional field.
Rahim Ramezaninejad
Abstract
The body of interdisciplinary knowledge of sport science has been fortified through scientific borrowing, the application of theoretical foundations from tangential disciplines, and the utilization of diverse research methodologies. The 1970s and particularly the 1980s represent the era of specialization ...
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The body of interdisciplinary knowledge of sport science has been fortified through scientific borrowing, the application of theoretical foundations from tangential disciplines, and the utilization of diverse research methodologies. The 1970s and particularly the 1980s represent the era of specialization within the sport sciences. Sport management emerged from the nexus of human and social sciences, initially adopting pedagogical and philosophical paradigms akin to educational leadership; however, the subsequent commercialization and professionalization of sport shifted its conceptual framework toward the sport industry and business management. This evolution presents several fundamental challenges.The primary challenge concerns pedagogical content and curricula, which must balance traditional educational values with commercial imperatives and the proliferation of diverse sport organizations, roles, and events, necessitating a synergy between theoretical knowledge and practical internship experience. A secondary concern involves alignment with contemporary research trends and the pursuit of rigorous qualitative inquiry. The third challenge entails the further specialization of the discipline through the theorization of both global and indigenous sporting issues, though the present analysis focuses exclusively on the pedagogical dimension. Regarding the first challenge, sport management advances toward maturation by enhancing the competency profiles of educational programs through collaborative efforts with experts in related disciplines. Interdisciplinary engagement at the individual level or through the development of collaborative curricula and research projects provides a strategic opportunity to establish a robust foundation for the field, leveraging external scientific insights to facilitate academic and professional progression. An evaluation of current curricula indicates a departure from purely theoretical frameworks toward market oriented practices. Furthermore, domestic research in sport management has increasingly gravitated away from scholastic and recreational contexts toward professional sport, club structures, and commercial enterprises, with a disproportionate emphasis on sport marketing theories relative to other sub-disciplines. Practitioners within sport organizations find that formal education alone is insufficient; success depends upon the ability to apply theoretical insights within organizational settings and adapt to multifaceted professional demands. While numerous administrators secure roles based on individual executive triumphs or distinguished athletic and coaching backgrounds, the complexity of the sport industry renders specialized academic training an absolute necessity. Although universities bear the primary responsibility for professional training, significant concerns persist regarding the practical utility of specialized education and the subsequent integration of this expertise within public and private sectors.Moreover, educational programs must evolve to distinguish the discipline from related fields, as its broad interdisciplinary overlap with history, philosophy, sociology, and psychology remains a point of contention that requires further specialization. Specialized maturation requires scholars to focus on specific domains and engage with particular research trends to foster robust theorization. Such transformation must originate internally, necessitating collaborative efforts across disciplinary boundaries to deepen the academic impact of the field. Professional competency is cultivated through rigorous education, practical experience, and eventual professionalization, a state that requires continuous commitment to maintain. Irrespective of the specific career trajectories students may pursue, the integrity of educational training remains paramount.
Samaneh Nazari; Rahim Ramezaninejad; Hamid Reza Goharrostami; Mohammad Mahdi Rahmati
Abstract
Objective: The purpose of this research was to analyze the dominant approaches in women's sports with an emphasis on gender analysis.Methodology: The current research was qualitative research and used thematic analysis method. Therefore, 150 valid research articles were analyzed and coded based on conceptual ...
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Objective: The purpose of this research was to analyze the dominant approaches in women's sports with an emphasis on gender analysis.Methodology: The current research was qualitative research and used thematic analysis method. Therefore, 150 valid research articles were analyzed and coded based on conceptual commonality (gender approache in sport) and purposive sampling technique. The research validation method was also applied based on the presentation and feedback of the research results to the experts for its final approval.Results: Based on the theme analysis of the research data, from 11 basic themes were extracted three organizing themes including the domination of gender norms in sports, media representation of women's sports and gender discrimination in sports were identified, which were able to represent the central theme of gender dominant approaches in women's sports.Conclusion: Based on three basic themes, the change in the roles, attitudes and beliefs of the society towards women's sports can change the gender norms in sports; Quantitative and qualitative representation of women's sports in the media and social media to make appropriate objectification of women's participation; And finally, the establishment of gender equality in rights and benefits, resources, education and management can lead to a better understanding of women's sports and, as a result, create policies and strategic plans in this field.
Mohammad Javad Ziya; Rahim Ramezaninejad; Mohammad Ebrahim Razaghi
Abstract
Objective: The objective of the article is to interpret some of the structural and content dimensions, and to analyze the sports organization process by the use of the metaphorical approach.Methodology: This research is of the self-reflexive type which has used the “bicycle” sports metaphor ...
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Objective: The objective of the article is to interpret some of the structural and content dimensions, and to analyze the sports organization process by the use of the metaphorical approach.Methodology: This research is of the self-reflexive type which has used the “bicycle” sports metaphor for the classification of the structural relationship and of the organization based on Mintezberg concept. Results: Considering the bicycle metaphor, the saddle of the bicycle can be considered as the Technostructure, the back wheel as the support staff, the front wheel as the operating core, the handlebar as the professional management, and its body as the middle core. The manager of the organization is to be considered as the bicycle rider who uses the technostructure and support staff advice in order to run the organization. The extent of the wind, the evenness of the road and its diversion are to be considered as a metaphor for the role of the content factors such as environment, strategy, policy and power relations, culture, technology and so on. Conclusion: Therefore, now it’s time for the small and large sports organizations to prove they are as moving, dynamic, and flexible as the small and large bicycles of which people of the different age, gender, occupation and strength, aim and desire to use.
Mohammad Ali sahebkaran; Rahim Ramzaninejad; Mohammad Reihani; Masoud Darabi
Abstract
AbstractObjective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the evaluation indicators of professional volleyball coaches in Iran using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP).Methodology: The statistical population of the study included all the female and males head coaches and coaches employed in volleyball ...
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AbstractObjective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the evaluation indicators of professional volleyball coaches in Iran using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP).Methodology: The statistical population of the study included all the female and males head coaches and coaches employed in volleyball premier league of Iran. The sample contained number to statistical population and finally 56 individuals participated in the study .The validity of the questionnaire the views and an opinion of academic experts and coaches experts of volleyball was approved. Reliability as well as inconsistency rate of 0.02 was evaluated and confirmed. For data analysis, Analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and Expert Choice11 software was usedResults: The results showed that the main performance evaluation’s indicators of volleyball coaches in Iran premier league to the tactical skills (0.191), professional relationship (0.185), social-relationship skill (0.163), psychological skill (0.145), technical skills (0.119), team management (0.102) and experience and athletic background (0.096) requirements.Conclusion: Among the 42 indicators introduced, the indicators of the ability to pay attention to the team and convey their meaning to the players and consulting with assistants and assistant coaches have the highest weight, respectively, and the indicators of appropriate appearance and voting stability in decision making, respectively. The lowest weight from the point of view of professional volleyball coaches was Iran.
rahim Ramzaninejad; mohammad reza boroumand; Soheila Nataj; mohsen loghmani
Abstract
Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate job attitudes and skills of physical education and sport sciences graduates at University of Guilan in period 2004-2008. Methodology: equal to the statistical population, the number of 271 physical education graduates answered to demographic characteristics, ...
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Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate job attitudes and skills of physical education and sport sciences graduates at University of Guilan in period 2004-2008. Methodology: equal to the statistical population, the number of 271 physical education graduates answered to demographic characteristics, Attitudes towards Job (Jacko, 2004) and Amount of content appropriateness of courses with needs of the market and employment questionnaires. Validity of these tools were confirm by 11 university professors, and its reliability was calculated by Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for job attitude (α=0.90) and appropriateness of course content (α =0.89). Results: Analysis of λ2 showed women (λ2= 25; P= .001) and masters’ graduates (λ2= 26.83; P= .001) more involved in the jobs associated to physical education course than others. Based on Kroskal Wallis results, graduates attitudes of jobs associated to physical education course (graduates of 2006) to dimensions of feedback, problem solving and entire attitudes were positive, while graduates attitudes of jobs no associated to physical education were positive only on task identify and authority (P≤ .05). Additionally, graduates who had jobs associated to physical education course achieved more skills of volunteer work (λ2= 14.28; P= .001) and coach card (λ2= 14.54; P= .001) than another graduates. Conclusion: It seems that occupation capacity of physical education and sport sciences graduates of University of Guilan is high and they can achieve adequate job skill during the study time and find professional positive attitudes after the occupation.
Mohammad Ehsani; Rahim Ramezaninejad; Fariba Askarian; Mehdi Azadan
Volume 3, Issue 2 , January 2015, , Pages 19-31
Abstract
Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the viewpoints of experts about the impediments of finding sponsors in Iran's professional football. Methodology: The survey research design was used with a sample size of 116 consisting of 18 club managers, 40 sports management experts, 40 ...
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Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the viewpoints of experts about the impediments of finding sponsors in Iran's professional football. Methodology: The survey research design was used with a sample size of 116 consisting of 18 club managers, 40 sports management experts, 40 marketing experts, and 18 sponsor managers. Investigator-made questionnaire was used for data collection. Its face and content validity were confirmed by sports management and marketing instructors and its reliability was estimated 0.84 through Cronbach's alpha method. To analyze the collected data, we employed Cruscal-Wallis, Klomogrov-Smirnov, and Kendall's W methods (P≤0.05). Results: The study showed that respondents prioritized the impediments of finding sponsors in Iran's professional football differently. Further there was a significant difference between the prioritization of impediments of finding sponsors from the point of view of club managers, sports management experts, marketing experts, and sponsor managers. Conclusion: The differences in viewpoints of the four groups of this study could indicate the gaps between academicians and practitioners viewpoints in football industry of our country. It is proposed to combine and use viewpoints of all groups. Keywords: Sponsorship, Iran’s professional football, Managerial Impediments.
