Entrepreneurial Practices in Sports Organizations: Identifying Key Dimensions through Exploratory Factor Analysis

Abstract

Sports organizations are experiencing an increase in professionalism in the sports sector as well as a gradual shift towards entrepreneurial behavior aimed at innovation and developing sports activities. To understand how entrepreneurship functions within sports organizations, it is important to identify the dimensions of the organization that give rise to these behaviors. This research aims to identify the dimensions of entrepreneurial behavior within an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) framework. The EFA will be completed using a quantitative survey of 206 individuals from various types of sports organizations, including clubs, academies, associations, and private centers. Each data collection method consists of 30 Likert scale items measuring different dimensions of the organization. Five dimensions emerged from the EFA: entrepreneurial leadership; entrepreneurial practices within sports organizations; cooperative interaction; involvement of actors; and professionalization. The results indicate that the structural, organizational, and managerial dimensions are the critical sections that promote entrepreneurial activity in sports organizations. The present study contributes to the literature on entrepreneurship within the sports domain. This study presents an empirical structure of entrepreneurial practice within the sport organization context. Lastly, the study provides managers and leaders with managerial implications to enhance their ability to innovate and improve their organizations' performance within the sport domain.