Document Type : Research Paper I Open Access I Released under (CC BY-NC 4.0) license
Authors
1 PhD student in Sport Management, Ardabil Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, Iran
2 Assistant Professor of Sport Management, Department of Sport Management, Khalkhal Branch, Islamic Azad University, Khalkhal, Iran
3 Professor of Sport Management, Department of Sport Sciences, Mohaghegh Ardabili University, Ardabil, Iran
Abstract
Objective: This study aims to develop a comprehensive investment risk model for “Sport for All” programs using a grounded theory approach.
Methodology: This applied research utilizes the grounded theory method. The study population consisted of university professors and experts in sports management, economics, and marketing—specifically eight participants from East Azerbaijan Province. Data collection was carried out through semi-structured interviews, and analysis was conducted in three main stages of coding: open, axial, and selective.
Results: The analysis identified five key factors influencing investment risk in Sport for All initiatives: Organizational and managerial elements (such as manpower and managerial policies), Sponsorship planning and strategies, Public engagement, Advertising and media marketing, Development of sports attractions. Additionally, the model highlights various background factors (including structural software/hardware, technical infrastructure, licensing, policy consistency, legal frameworks, and local branding), intervening factors (such as systematic and unsystematic risks, and economic, political, legal, and administrative conditions), and strategic responses (including barrier analysis, performance evaluation, rule of law enforcement, optimized capital allocation, and the privatization and marketing of sport for all). The study also identified operational outcomes of investment risk in Sport for All, such as challenges in sponsorship, socio-cultural consequences, impacts on public health, and structural or intra-organizational issues.
Conclusion: The findings underscore the necessity of targeted investor attraction strategies. Enhancing advertising effectiveness, increasing sectoral investments, and improving the efficiency of production and service enterprises can significantly reduce investment risks and promote sustainable growth in sport for all.
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