Title: Strategic service innovation in the sports industry: case of the Korean Professional Baseball League

Authors: So Ye Yang; Paul Hong

Addresses: Department of Information Operations Technology Management, College of Business and Innovation, University of Toledo, 2801 W Bancroft St., Toledo, OH 43606, USA ' Department of Information Operations Technology Management, College of Business and Innovation, University of Toledo, 2801 W Bancroft St., Toledo, OH 43606, USA

Abstract: This paper investigates how service innovation in sports industry improves its competitiveness and public reputation. Through innovative marketing of professional league activities, active recruiting of professional coaches and players from major countries and creating passionate team-driven cheering culture, Korean Professional Baseball League has changed the landscape of team sports - baseball in particular. This paper examines the success factors of service innovation from industry development stage and individual career growth perspective. Lesson and implications are discussed.

Keywords: service innovation; sports industry; Korean Professional Baseball League; KPBL; recruitment and remaining practices.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSOM.2022.122671

International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 2022 Vol.41 No.3, pp.279 - 295

Received: 17 Dec 2018
Accepted: 05 Jun 2019
Published online: 05 May 2022 *

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