Title: Determinants of service innovation: a typology of sports federations

Authors: Mathieu Winand; Steven Vos; Thierry Zintz; Jeroen Scheerder

Addresses: School of Sport, University of Stirling, FK9 4LA, Scotland, UK ' Policy in Sports and Physical Activity Research Group, Department of Kinesiology, University of Leuven, Tervuursevest, 101, B-3001, Leuven, Belgium; School of Sport Studies, Fontys University of Applied Sciences, 5644 HZ Eindhoven, The Netherlands ' Faculté des Sciences de la Motricité, Université catholique de Louvain, Place P. de Coubertin, 1 Bte L8.10.01 B-1348, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium ' Policy in Sports and Physical Activity Research Group, Department of Kinesiology, University of Leuven, Tervuursevest, 101, B-3001, Leuven, Belgique

Abstract: The increasing commercialisation of the sports sector and changing consumer demands are some of the issues that create challenges for non-profit sports in contemporary society. It is important for managers and marketers of these organisations to innovate because innovation is a way to grow within a competitive environment and to meet customers' expectations. The present study aims to develop an explorative typology of sports federations based on their attitudes and perceptions of determinants of innovation and their innovation capacity. A cluster analysis suggested three clusters with different responses towards service innovation: traditional sports federations, financially secure sports federations and competitive sports federations. Sports federations perceiving competition in terms of financial and human resources, favouring change and paid staff involvement in decision-making processes, and with negative economic perceptions are significantly more innovative. These findings have implications for the management and marketing of non-profit sports organisations.

Keywords: service innovation; innovation determinants; sports federations; non-profit sports organisations; NPSOs; sport management; typology; sport marketing; cluster analysis.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSMM.2013.055194

International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 2013 Vol.13 No.1/2, pp.55 - 73

Received: 15 Feb 2012
Accepted: 29 Oct 2012
Published online: 29 Apr 2014 *

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