writing assignment

MSA 670

Capstone Seminar in Sports

Administration

Belhaven University

Unit 4

Research Design in Sport Management Part II

1

 Unit 4 addresses observation research, in which

sport management researchers conduct their

investigations by entering a sport setting in order

to observe and spend time with participants

 This unit also explores the value and

components of case study research, which is a

social science approach employing a variety of

methodologies

2

Introduction

 Observation Site

 Data Collection

 Design and Implementation

 Data Analysis

 Methodological Foundations

3

Unit Topics

 Understand how observation research can be

conducted by sport management researchers and

applied to the practice of sport management

 Categorize the advantages, disadvantages, and

steps of observation methodology

 Understand the difference between research and

teaching case studies

 Categorize the five case study preparation topics as

applied to a sport management researcher

4

Unit Objectives

 This application illustrated through Scripture will

provide an understanding to the value of advanced

organized leadership in a sport organization and the

impact of sports finance and budgeting on the

success of a sport organization. This unit will also

illustrate observational and case study research.

 Scripture passages:

 Matthews 28:18-20

 Hebrews 6:9-10

5

Biblical Foundation

Observation Research

 Used to describe the research methodology

 Generally indicates a qualitative approach grounded

in traditional ethnography

 Understanding Ethnography:

 A naturalistic methodological process through which

social scientists use field research to investigate social

phenomena in order to understand human culture,

communities, and institutions

Observation Research, Scripture Passage

 Matthew 28:18-20

18. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in

heaven and on earth has been given to me.

19. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,

baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the

Son and of the Holy Spirit,

20. teaching them to observe all that I have

commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to

the end of the age.”

Ethnographic Research

 Relatively new involving sport management

 A few sport ethnographies were published in the

1990s, including seminal pieces examining sporting

events.

 Have a long, rich history in other disciplines

 Some scholars use traditional types of ethnography:

 Participant Observation

 Field Observation

 Direct Observation

 Natural Observation

Observation Research in Sports

Management  Participant Observation:

 Similar to ethnography… involves various methodologies

 Interviews

 Focus Groups

 Observations

 Aimed at understanding human social phenomena and

answering research questions in a field setting

 Observation Research can be used in Sports Management to solve

a problem (applied research)…

 Or to improve understanding and contribute to the body of

knowledge in Sports Management (basic research)

Observation Research in Sports

Management, cont.

 The process of observation research involves

 Discovering a research problem

 Select a general research topic

 Develop a proposed research design (e.g., possible

observation times and locations)

 Perform casual observations (observing what is

happening in the sport setting of interest without any

definitive plans or approaches in mind)

Observation Research in Sports

Management, cont.

 Researchers in sport administration can also

use observation research to better understand

 Social interactions

 Political processes

 Power structures

 Historical forces

 This has shaped the social reality of sport and sport

organizations

Observation Research in Sports

Management, cont.

 Sport Administration research generally has a

exploratory, descriptive, or analytical predictive

purpose…

 Exploratory research is used to gain greater insight,

familiarity, or clarification regarding an issue

 Descriptive research provides answers to who, what,

when, and where questions

 Analytical research provides explanatory answers to the

why and how questions

Observation Research in Sports

Management, cont.

 Exploratory research is used in the sport industry to

understand how people:

 Behave

 Interrelate

 Are Influenced

 Communicate

 Make Purchasing Decisions

 Interact

 Engage in other related activities

Observer Roles

 Complete Observation

 where the researcher simply watches, listens, and records

the findings

 Combination of Observer and Participant

 the researcher can participate in some things, and then

observe reactions from others

 Complete Participation

 fully involved in the organization or fully engaged with the

participants of the study

Data Collection

 Observation process

 direct observation is the primary method of collecting data

in observation research

 Mixed-Methods Design

 a combination of observation research and quantitative

research

 Content Analysis

 observing and examining forms of communication in a

particular field

 Field Notes

 taking notes and recording observations is the primary

source of data in observation research

 A social science methodology used in a real-life setting

and generally drawing information from other

methodologies, such as:

 Interviewing

 Observation

 Historical research

 The most commonly used qualitative methodological

approaches in sport management

 Can contain some quantitative aspects (e.g., surveying,

census data, tabular evidence)

16

Case Study Research

Case Study Research, Scripture Passage

 Hebrews 6:9-10

9. Though we speak in this way, yet in your case,

beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that

belong to salvation.

10. For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work

and the love that you have shown for his name in

serving the saints, as you still do.

 Sport Administration research often focuses on

applied research, which makes case study research

particularly useful

 The end result of most case study inquiries is to help

sport administrative practitioners in their quest to

operate more effectively and efficiently

18

Case Studies in Sport Management

Research

Case Studies in Sport Management

Research, cont.

 Case study research is an important tool in sport

administration research since it allows researchers

to study:

 specific events,

 activities,

 settings,

 and phenomena

Case Studies in Sport Management

Research, cont.

 Case studies typically explore, describe, illuminate,

or explain a selected phenomenon in sport

administration...

 Case Study research comes in three types that

overlap sport administration:

1. Explanatory

2. Exploratory

3. Descriptive

Explanatory (Case Study Research)

 The investigator seeks to answer questions

about how and why...

 Most case studies in sport administration

research are focused on answering the:

 how and why research questions!

Exploratory and Descriptive (Case Study

Research)

 These specific types of case studies typically

answer the:

a. Who

b. What

c. When

d. and where

Research Versus Teaching Case Studies

1. A research case study contains many specific

features such as:

 primary source materials

 evidence

 data analysis

 and conclusions

2. A teaching case study’s purpose is to establish a

framework for discussion and debate

Four Key Tasks in Developing Case

Study Research

1. Design and Implementation- the researcher needs

to first develop a research strategy, formulate a

research design, and implement specific research

questions

2. Research Preparation- create the case study

protocol, screen the potential cases and

participants, and conduct a pilot study

Four Key Tasks in Developing Case

Study Research, cont.

3. Data Collection- carrying out the case study

research design and collecting the needed data to

secure specific answers

4. Data Analysis- analyzes the findings, examines the

data, and assesses how the findings help forward

the study’s research aims and objectives

 Complete reading assignments

 Complete writing assignments

 Answer discussion questions

 Complete unit quiz

26

What’s next?

Andrew, D., Pedersen, P., & McEvoy, C. (2011). Research methods

and design in sport management (11th ed.). Champaign, IL:

Human Kinetics.

Misener, K., & Doherty, A. (2009). A case study of organization

capacity in nonprofit community sport. Journal of Sports

Management, 23, 457-482. Retrieved from

http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/067

/234_Misener_A_case_study_of.pdf

Misener, L., & Mason, D. (2009). Fostering community development

through sporting events strategies: An examination of urban

regime perceptions. Journal of Sports Management, 23, 770-

794. Retrieved from

http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/067

/236_Misener_Fostering_commu.pdf

References