Background and objective of the project
Sports clubs play a central role in the sporting activities of the population and have diverse social functions. However, many sports clubs with voluntary structures find it increasingly difficult to manage their goals and tasks. Therefore, they are increasingly trying to meet the corresponding challenges with professionalisation.
Within the framework of the project, professionalisation processes of Swiss and German sports clubs will be examined holistically within the framework of case studies. Conditions and barriers that promote professionalisation and the decision-making processes associated with it are of interest. A special focus will be placed on the question of whether the goals aimed at with professionalisation are achieved and what undesirable side effects can be observed.
Theoretical-methodological approach
The project is based on existing multi-level analytical concepts for the analysis of professionalisation and expands them to include the process perspective and the question of possible consequences. On this conceptual basis, case studies are conducted in sports clubs in Switzerland and Germany.
Relevance of the project
Knowledge about professionalisation processes provides the basis for management recommendations for targeted sports club development. The findings also contribute to answering the question of which forms of professionalisation make sense for which sports clubs.
Literature
Breuer, C., Hoekman, R., Nagel, S., & van der Werff, H. (2015). Sport Clubs in Europe: A Cross-National Comparative Perspective. Springer International Publishing.
Dowling, M., Edwards, J., & Washington, M. (2014). Understanding the concept of professionalisation in sport management research. Sport Management Review, 17(4), 520–529. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smr.2014.02.003
Nagel, S. (2007). Akteurtheoretische Analyse der Sportvereinsentwicklung [Actor-theoretical analysis of sports club development]. Sportwissenschaft, 37(2), 186–201. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf03176090
Nagel, S., Schlesinger, T., Bayle, E., & Giauque, D. (2015). Professionalisation of sport federations – a multilevel framework for analysing forms, causes and consequences. European Sport Management Quarterly, 15(4), 407–433. https://doi.org/10.1080/16184742.2015.1062990
