Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 PhD student in sports management, Islamic Azad University, Jahrom branch, Jahrom, Iran
2 Associate Professor of Sports Management
3 استادیار مدیریت ورزشی، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد جهرم، جهرم، ایران
Abstract
This study aimed to develop a conceptual framework for the growth of Iranian sports industry companies on an international and multinational scale. This qualitative research employed a thematic analysis approach. The study population included academic experts (university professors) and industry executives (organizational managers and corporate professionals) within the research domain. The sample size, determined based on theoretical saturation, was selected using the snowball sampling method (16participants). Data were collected through semi-structured (guided) interviews. The validity of the findings was stablished through the professional competence of the interviews, content validity of the interview framework, and coding reliability (inter-rater agreement 0.73, assessed by two expert researchers). Data analysis was conducted using a four-step coding process aligned with the research methodology. The results revealed a conceptual framework comprising four overarching themes, ten primary themes, 47 sub-themes, and 164 core concepts. The overarching themes included global positioning for multinational sports businesses, the foundation for internationalization within the national economy and sports industry, capacity-building for adopting a multinational approach in domestic sports companies, and the mechanisms and functions driving the growth of multinational sports companies. The findings suggest that the growth of multinational companies in the sports industry hinges on understanding international and domestic environmental factors, coupled with capacity-building and internationalization of business systems in sports enterprises. It is recommended that the proposed framework be utilized to design and implement corporate business models on an international and multinational scale across academic, governmental, industrial, and media sectors within the national sports landscape.
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