Entrepreneurship Development in Sports Startups: Drivers and Uncertainties (Case Study: Sports Science Students)
Keywords:
Futures Studies, Entrepreneurship, Sports Startups, Market KnowledgeAbstract
Entrepreneurship is one of the main driving forces of economic growth in any country. Accordingly, the present study was conducted with the aim of identifying the uncertainties of entrepreneurship development in the field of sports startups for sports science students. This research is a survey study carried out through an exploratory mixed-method design (qualitative–quantitative). From the perspective of research purpose, it is exploratory, and in terms of orientation, it is applied. Therefore, three fundamental steps were taken to identify drivers and uncertainties. In the first step, using a literature review method, the drivers and influencing factors in the formation of entrepreneurship in sports startups were identified. In the second step, to screen and validate the key drivers, the fuzzy Delphi method was used. Then, in the third step, the structural analysis technique (MICMAC) was applied to determine the key uncertainties. The qualitative population of the study consisted of university professors of sports sciences (6 individuals), entrepreneurs (4 individuals), as well as graduates and doctoral students in the field of sports sciences (5 individuals). Ultimately, 15 participants were selected using purposive and judgmental sampling. According to the findings of the present research, 15 drivers were identified as influencing entrepreneurship in sports startups. Moreover, based on the relationships among these drivers, the level of innovation and research and development, digital technology innovations, market opportunities, business model, absorptive capacity, market knowledge, and knowledge management were identified as uncertainties that can play a role in shaping alternative scenarios. The practical suggestion of the study indicates that university officials and planners can, by developing knowledge-enhancing programs related to the identified key uncertainties for students and graduates of sports sciences, contribute to increased efficiency in this field and facilitate the movement of universities toward becoming fourth-generation universities.
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