Research Methods and Design in Sport Management

Research Methods and Design in Sport Management explains research design, implementation, analysis, and assessment criteria with a focus on specific procedures unique to the discipline of sport management. The text is an invaluable resource for students and practitioners in sport management because it focuses on applied research for organizational purposes and the qualitative and quantitative methodologies pertinent to the field of sport management.

Organized in four parts, Research Methods and Design in Sport Management begins with an introduction to concepts in sport management research and a discussion of the ethical issues associated with research projects. The text outlines the steps to the research process, making it an easy-to-use guide for professionals undertaking a research project as well as students writing major term papers, theses, or dissertations. Analysis of research design with discussion of specific methods used in qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research helps readers to determine and design the most appropriate research for their specific needs. This text teaches readers the following concepts and skills:

•How to conduct a thorough literature review

•Theoretical and conceptual frameworks to guide the research process

•How to develop appropriate research questions and hypotheses

•Techniques for conducting qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research

•Methods for analyzing data and reporting results

Multiple special elements in each chapter, including learning objectives, summaries, suggested advanced readings, and highlight boxes, guide readers through challenging concepts. A chapter dedicated to legal research in sport management provides a nonintimidating discussion of the unique elements evident in sport law research, such as legal precedence, case briefing, and special writing elements. Examples of published research in sport management illustrate ways in which various methodological tools and techniques can be used in answering research questions. Research in Action sections present excerpts from the Journal of Sport Management, which highlight research components mentioned in the text and assist students in learning how to read and evaluate research. In addition, all research examples provided throughout the text are specific to sport management, considering both sport industry settings and academic environments.

Research Methods and Design in Sport Management offers readers the tools to engage in the broad spectrum of research opportunities in the growing discipline of sport management. As accreditation in sport management becomes more prevalent, Research Methods and Design in Sport Management can assist students in gaining the knowledge and skills they need in order to compete in the job market and to contribute to their future careers. For professionals, the text offers tools to ensure the research they conduct and consume can accurately inform strategic business decisions.

Damon Andrew, PhD, is a professor and dean at Troy University in the College of Health and Human Services, which includes the school of nursing; the department of human services, rehabilitation, and social work; the department of kinesiology and health promotion; and the department of athletic training education. His academic credentials include an associate’s degree from Jefferson Davis Community College, a bachelor’s degree in physical education and a master’s degree in exercise physiology from the University of South Alabama, two additional master’s degrees in biomechanics and sport management from the University of Florida, and a PhD in sport administration from Florida State University. Before assuming the decanal role at Troy University, Andrew directed University of Louisville’s doctoral program in sport administration and founded and directed a doctoral program in sport management at the University of Tennessee. He also taught at Florida State University, the University of Florida, and the University of South Alabama. His research has been supported by over $2 million in funding via 25 grants and contracts; it includes over 45 manuscripts accepted for publication in peer-reviewed journals and over 70 presentations at national and international conferences. His peer-reviewed publications appear in more than 20 scholarly journals, including the Journal of Sport Management, Sport Management Review, Sport Marketing Quarterly, International Journal of Sport Management, and the Sport Management Education Journal. Andrew currently serves as the associate editor for the International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing and as an editorial board member of the International Journal of Sport Management and the Journal ofSport Administration & Supervision. He serves as an ad hoc reviewer for more than 10 other scholarly outlets. He was elected by his peers to serve as member at large of the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) and as chief financial officer of the Sport and Recreation Law Association (SRLA).

Andrew resides in Troy, Alabama, with his wife, Tera, and their daughter, Clare. He enjoys spending time with his family, reading, playing tennis, and watching sporting events.

Paul M. Pedersen, PhD, is an associate professor of sport management and the director of the sport management doctoral program at Indiana University at Bloomington. Previously, Pedersen taught sport communication and management courses at several colleges and universities, including Bowling Green State University and Palm Beach Atlantic University. He received his PhD from Florida State University.

A former sportswriter and sport business columnist, Pedersen has researched, published, and presented on the activities and practices of many sport organization personnel, specifically those associated with the print media and affiliated with intercollegiate and interscholastic sports. He has lectured and presented worldwide on sport communication and management topics. His primary area of scholarly interest is the symbiotic relationship between sport and communication.Pedersen has published 60 peer-reviewed articles in journals such as the Journal of Sport Management, Sociology ofSport Journal, International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, and Journal of Sports Economics. Pedersen has coauthored Strategic Sport Communication (2007) and Contemporary Sport Management, Fourth Edition (2010), and authored two sport history texts.

Founder and editor in chief of the International Journal of Sport Communication, Pedersen also serves as an editorial review board member of five national and international sport journals. He is a research fellow for the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM), a member of the North American Society for Sport History (NASSH) and the European Association for Sport Management (EASM), and a charter member of the Sport Marketing Association (SMA)Pedersen lives in Bloomington, Indiana, with his wife, Jennifer, and their four children. He enjoys spending time with his family as well as traveling, photography, cycling, and watching sporting events.

Chad D. McEvoy, EdD, is an associate professor at Illinois State University, where he is the coordinator of the sport management graduate program. Before pursuing a career in academia, McEvoy worked in marketing and fundraising in intercollegiate athletics at Iowa State University and Western Michigan University. He has conducted research projects for clients at various levels of sport, including professional sport, intercollegiate athletics, Olympic sport, and sport agency organizations.

McEvoy holds a doctoral degree from the University of Northern Colorado, a master’s degree from the University of Massachusetts, and a bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University, each in sport management and administration. His research interests focus on revenue generation in commercialized spectator sport settings. McEvoy has published articles in the Journal of Sport Management, Sport Management Review, Sport Marketing Quarterly, and International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing. His research has been featured in numerous media stories and interviews appearing in Wall Street Journal, SportsIllustrated.com, ESPN.com, Chicago Tribune, Philadelphia Inquirer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Portland Oregonian, and Kansas City Star. McEvoy appeared as a panelist before the prestigious Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics in 2008, and he is currently coeditor of the Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics.

McEvoy and his wife, Kerry, live in Normal, Illinois, with their sons Andy and Luke. In addition to spending time with his family, he enjoys playing sports and games, cooking, and watching sports.