So you want to work in sports? An exploratory study of sport business employability
Sport, Business and Management
ISSN: 2042-678X
Article publication date: 24 August 2021
Issue publication date: 25 March 2022
Abstract
Purpose
As an industry, sport business (SB) has seen significant growth since the early 2000s. Concurrently, the number of postsecondary sport management programs has also expanded dramatically. However, there remain concerns about whether these programs are meeting the demands of both employers and graduates. To address these concerns, this study examines the credential and competency demands of the SB labor market in the United States.
Design/methodology/approach
Researchers conducted an analysis using a broad sample of employment postings (N = 613) for SB positions from two different years, 2008 and 2018.
Findings
Results support that a complex set of SB qualifications exist, and the credentials and competencies included in SB employment postings have evolved over the past decade.
Originality/value
A noteworthy finding is that meta-skills are found to be particularly important for employability, including items such as communication, emotional intelligence and analytical thinking and adaptability.
Keywords
Citation
Finch, D.J., O'Reilly, N., Legg, D., Levallet, N. and Fody, E. (2022), "So you want to work in sports? An exploratory study of sport business employability", Sport, Business and Management, Vol. 12 No. 2, pp. 117-134. https://doi.org/10.1108/SBM-02-2021-0013
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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