Sports Management Knowledge, Competencies, and Skills: Focus Groups and Women Sports Managers’ Perceptions

Abstract

The purpose of the present mixed-methods study was two-fold: (i) to test the validity of a Sports Management knowledge, competencies, and skills framework developed during the New Miracle project to implement a tailored training program for sports managers; and (ii) to explore the managers’ perceived relevance, possess and need for training of knowledge, competencies, and skills. International focus groups with sports managers from four European countries have been organized to test the framework’s validity through a clustering and a sorting stage, including consensus agreement (Likert scale 1–6 pt.) and internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) assessment. Then, sports managers’ perceived relevance, possession, and need for training of knowledge competencies and skills items was assessed through an online rating (Likert scale 1–6 pt; p ≤ 0.05). Findings showed good validity, internal consistency, and a high consensus agreement in relation to the proposed competency framework and the crucial role of soft skills in the sports management profession. Furthermore, participants highlighted transversal and specific items in relation to Entry, Middle, and Senior managerial positions. A perceived lack of possess of several items emerged, especially belonging to the technical and knowledge spheres, leading to the practical implications regarding the need to design sound educational programs based on attendees’ specific career stages, educational backgrounds, and training needs.

Strategi pengembangan karir melalui pelatihan soft skill

“…Hal ini juga menuntut orang untuk terus menghadapi tantangan yang berkaitan dengan banyak situasi sulit dan hubungan antarpribadi, serta berupaya memperbaiki identitas dan kualitas pribadi mereka agar berhasil dalam apa yang mereka lakukan (Eccles, 1999;Clark et al, 2015). Temuan oleh Guidotti et al (2023) menunjukkan validitas yang baik, konsistensi internal, dan kesepakatan konsensus yang tinggi sehubungan dengan kerangka kompetensi yang diusulkan dan peran penting soft skill dalam profesi olahraga. Oleh karena itu, berdasarkan penelitian tersebut, dapat disimpulkan bahwa pelatihan soft skill berpengaruh positif terhadap peningkatan karir di bidang olahraga.…”