مجله رویکردهای نوین در مدیریت ورزشی
پیاپی 21 (تابستان 1397)

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of athlete brand image on identification with athletes and the effectiveness of celebrity athlete endorsement. The statistical population consisted of students of Azad University as well as Razi University in Kermanshah and 500 subjects were studied as the sample. Athlete Brand Image Questionnaire by Arai, Jae Ko & Kaplanidou (2013) study (α=0.89), Cohen & Perse’s Identification Scale (2003) (α=0.89) and Celebrity Athlete Endorsement Questionnaire adopted from Van der Waldet, De Beer & Du Plessis (2007) developed scale (α=0.76); their structural and content validity was confirmed. The results of structural equation modeling indicated that athlete brand image had a significant impact factor on endorsement and identification. Identification as a mediator had a significant effect between athlete brand image and endorsement. This mediating role for sport products was more effective than non-sport products. This finding emphasized the congruity of endorser-audience as well as endorser-product.

The aim of this study was to explain the effect of brand equity, brand image and fan commitment on international branding in Iran premier football clubs. This study was applied in terms of results and aims and descriptive-correlation in terms of research methodology which was conducted as a field. Fans of 4 clubs (Esteghlal, Persepolis, Sepahan and Zob Ahan) in 2016-2017 were selected as the population. Based on the logical volume of the sample needed in structural equation modeling, sample consisted of 810 subjects. A researcher-made questionnaire with 41 items in 5-point Likert Scale was used to collect data. Content validity of the whole questionnaire was confirmed by 15 professors.  To measure convergent validity, AVE coefficient was used and to measure reliability, Cronbach's alpha coefficient and CR coefficient were used and the validity and reliability were high. For data analysis, SPSS and AMOS were used. The data were analyzed based on structural equation modeling. GFI=0.94 showed a good fit and confirmed the model. Based on these results, it can be stated that brand equity and its subscales had a positive and significant effect on brand image, brand image on fan commitment and fan commitment on branding of Iran football clubs.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of applying cybernetic management model on the development of self-management behaviors and its role in developing psychological empowerment in staff of Sport and Youth departments of Isfahan province. 206 staff members of the mentioned departments were selected by stratified random sampling method to participate in this study. Three standard questionnaires were employed: CM (Birnbaum, 1988), Self-Management Behaviors (Manz, 2009) and Psychological Empowerment (Spreitzer, 1995). The SPSS and AMOS Graphics were employed to analyze the data. The results indicated a significant difference between current and desire conditions in employing the CM model (M=2.58), in staff’s self-management behaviors (M=2.67) and their psychological empowerment (M=2.73) in Sport and Youth departments of Isfahan province (P≤0.05). Furthermore, the model had a good fit which indicated that applying CM model directly affected the development of staff’s self-management behaviors (0.37) and their psychological empowerment (0.33). Furthermore, it affected the development of staff’s psychological empowerment indirectly and through affecting the development of self-management behaviors in Sport and Youth departments of Isfahan province (0.20).

The aim of the present study was to identify factors causing crisis in sport for all in Iran. The statistical population included managers and specialists in the field of sport for all and members of the faculties of physical education in Iran (N=1300). Based on Morgan Table, 300 subjects were selected randomly for the research sample. To achieve the study aims, a researcher-made questionnaire (containing 60 items) was used. Face and content validity of this questionnaire15 was confirmed by 15 sport management experts; its reliability was calculated 30in ina pilot study with 30 subjects by Cronbach’s alpha as 0.81. For data analysis, the descriptive and inferential statistics including exploratory factor analysis by SPSS software were used. The results showed 9 factors causing crisis in sport for all: poor planning, inappropriate attitude of the society, poor human resources, poor coordination, infrastructural problems, financial problems, structural and legal problems, poor communication and poor media respectively.

The aim of the present study was factor analysis of job competencies of national and international coaches of Islamic Republic of Iran. The statistical population included all sport management professors, national experienced coaches, champions and senior managers of the federation (N=310). Using the Delphi method, 100 components in the form of 10 factors were achieved as competencies to choose national and international taekwondo coaches. Also, there was a significant difference in the competencies to choose national taekwondo coaches from the viewpoints of the subjects (Sig=0.001, χ2=30.561), that is to say the highest priorities were attached to "coaching and technical characteristics" and "planning features" and the lowest priorities were attached to "human skill attributes" and "social features". Finally, using the structural equations, competency model was designed for national and international taekwondo coaches and the fit of the model was confirmed. This model can be used as a tool to select and train taekwondo coaches.

The aim of this study was to design and evaluate the competency model of physical education managers in universities of Iran. The research was performed using a descriptive-analytical methodology and 122 physical education managers of universities in Iran were selected as the sample by stratified random sampling method. The data were collected by a researcher-made questionnaire prepared using the Delphi technique and was designed to evaluate the proposed model using review of literature and the viewpoints of sport management experts. Content and construct validity (factor analysis) were evaluated as desirable and Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability values were greater than 0.7 for all dimensions of competency. The data were analyzed by confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling using SMART PLS software. The results showed that the competencies of physical education managers in Iran universities included Islamic competency, individual characteristics, optimal performance, and intellectual, communication, organizational and professional abilities. Among these factors, Islamic competency had the most importance in designing the model from the viewpoints of managers. The primary priority should be to evaluate and develop these competencies when physical education managers in Iranian universities are going to be selected, appointed and their performance is going to be evaluated.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of perceived environment and social support on participation in leisure-time physical activity of staff in Islamic Azad University (district 13). The statistical population consisted of all male and female staff of Islamic Azad University of district 13 (N=2050). In order to collect data, the Participation in Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire confirmed by exploration, Robertson-Wilson et al. (2007) Perceived Environment Questionnaire, and Sallis et al. (1987) Social Support Scale were used. The reliability of the questionnaires was determined by Cronbach's alpha coefficient as 0.81, 0.78, and 0.86 respectively. In order to analyze the data, descriptive indicators, statistical tests of Kolmogorov-Smirnov and multivariate regression were used; to determine their construct validity, factor analysis and its effect, and structural equation test were used. The results indicated a positive and significant relationship between perceived environment and social support and between social support and physical activity. The results also showed that the social support variable had the ability to predict physical activity. Also, perceived environment and social support had no significant effect on physical activity.