Football, corporate ownership, and conflicts of interest: Dark spaces and black boxes

In recent years, the literature on football and accounting has focused on some opaque spaces in the ownership of football clubs, as well as in the definition of collaboration and commercial partnership mechanisms that, even in the case of larger clubs, are at times misrepresented in financial reports (Chadwick et al., 2018; Sudgen et al., 2017; Holzen et al., 2019). Our paper describes the case of Italy and its main relevance lies in that spectrum of analysis; in effect, the strictly familial nature of Italian capitalism clearly emerges in the case of football, as well. The clubs are controlled by influential entrepreneurial families (often operating in the entertainment industry) who through football consolidate their image. Put in these terms, the risks of conflicts of interest and opacity in commercial formulas, already highlighted by the best and recent literature, are reflected in a system of economic and meta/non-economic returns in which the object \u201cfootball\u201d becomes an instrument of social recognition and financial growth via indirect mechanisms

Brand Identity, Club Authenticity and Fan Acceptance

The aim of this paper is to conceptually illustrate the tension between commercialisation and club authenticity, which is a potential consequence of stadium relocation. There is a commercial pressure for relocating a football club to new and more modern facilities, but also a pressure from the brand identity perspective to maintain the core traditions of the club where the stadium plays a central role. This brand identity is in turn co-created by the community of stakeholders that demand authenticity from the club. These tensions are illustrated by the upcoming relocation of Atletico de Madrid from their stadium Vicente Calderón. The empirical base for the illustration consists of rich secondary data, focus group interviews with supporters and an expert interview. The results confirm the tensions identified; and future research should be conducted after the relocation is fully implemented to address the ex post effects as well

Designing Experiences to Increase Stadium Capacity Utilisation in Football

The aim of this paper is to show in what way football clubs in smaller leagues with limited capacity utilisation can increase their per-game revenue by increasing the attendance frequency. A sequential mixed method research design was employed, involving both qualitative and quantitative methods, studying two clubs: Malmö FF in Sweden and FC København in Denmark. In order for the subject clubs to increase the attendance frequency of the spectators, these must be moved towards a higher level of the Psychological Continuum Model. The quantitative phase was comprised of a survey distributed at three separate occasions for each of the subject clubs. Four segments were identified to be of particular interest, two from each of the subject clubs. The two segments defined for Malmö FF were termed Entertainment Seeking Families and the Price Conscious Group of Friends. The two segments defined for FCK were termed Price Sensitive Experience Hunters and Family Focused Fans. It is shown how the two clubs can provide tailored experiences specifically designed towards the identified attendant segments. In doing so, an increased range of psychological associations will be created in the minds of the attendants, thus strengthening the psychological connection, increasing the likelihood of upwards movement in the psychological continuum and rate of attendance

Tensions in stakeholder relations for a Swedish football club : a case study

Swedish football is an industry not yet being as commercial as the big leagues and is regulated in terms of ownership of clubs. This implies a need for management of stakeholder relations for a Swedish football club. This paper identifies important stakeholders in Swedish football and discusses the multitude of - sometimes conflicting - objectives in managing these relations. The empirical base of the study is founded in a case study of Malmo FF, one of the dominant clubs in Sweden, with a qualitative single case research approach. Data are collected by means of semi-structured interviews and participant observations. The results of the study show a number of tensions as paradoxes for stakeholder management, suggest management dispositions to reconcile these paradoxes and suggest areas for further research

Strategic dispositions to information technology in small business

Both information technology and small business are considered to be of great importance for economy today. Several empirical studies have however showed that the diffusion of information technology among small business have been limited. Since information technology is considered to be of strategic importance for organisations, the aim of this study is to identify and analyse strategic dispositions to information technology. This study has shown that information technology can be of different strategic importance for different managers. Strategic dispositions is a concept based on the managers perceptions of the strategic context, perceptions of information technology and the individual characteristics of the manager. The perspective used is based on a view upon strategies formed in an entrepreneurial mode or an adaptive mode.A survey is conducted with a sample of 600 managers in small business in Sweden. Analyses are conducted with a multivariate approach, using factor analysis to reduce complexity in data, cluster analysis to group objects and finally discriminant analysis to categorise groups and analyse different strategic dispositions to information technology.The classification of managers resulted in six groups, separated by their inclination to use technology, their dynamics and their uncertainty avoidance. Further analysis however showed that there are mainly four strategic dispositions within the population, where the two groups with a lower inclination to use technology showed similar patterns to two of the other groups. The four strategic dispositions are therefore divided by means of dynamics and uncertainty avoidance. Dynamics is a concept mainly based on contextual characteristics and uncertainty avoidance is a concept mainly based on how the firms handles the context. The overall context and handling of this context constitute an application context.The first application context in a situation of high dynamics and low uncertainty avoidance is labelled stratège development, where information technology has a strong linkage to core competencies in the business. In this application context, the strategic disposition is proactive. The second, based on high dynamics and high uncertainty avoidance, labelled adaptive change, includes patterns where information technology are used to adapt to uncertain environments. The strategic disposition is reactive. The third application context, in low dynamics and high uncertainty avoidance, is labelled fixed relations, where information technology is used to maintain a fixed relation with an other actor in the environment. This strategic disposition is interactive. Finally, in low dynamics and low uncertainty avoidance, the application context is labelled fixed structures. Information technology is in this case used not to achieve dynamics or growth, nor to reduce uncertainty, but merely because of a fixed structural complexity best handled with information technology. The disposition is inactive in its mode.The different strategic dispositions show that introduction of information technology is influenced by both context as well as individual intentions. The strategic importance of information technology is therefore a complex conception, to be used with discretion.digitalisering@um

Strategic dispositions to information technology in small business

Both information technology and small business are considered to be of great importance for economy today. Several empirical studies have however showed that the diffusion of information technology among small business have been limited. Since information technology is considered to be of strategic importance for organisations, the aim of this study is to identify and analyse strategic dispositions to information technology. This study has shown that information technology can be of different strategic importance for different managers. Strategic dispositions is a concept based on the managers perceptions of the strategic context, perceptions of information technology and the individual characteristics of the manager. The perspective used is based on a view upon strategies formed in an entrepreneurial mode or an adaptive mode.A survey is conducted with a sample of 600 managers in small business in Sweden. Analyses are conducted with a multivariate approach, using factor analysis to reduce complexity in data, cluster analysis to group objects and finally discriminant analysis to categorise groups and analyse different strategic dispositions to information technology.The classification of managers resulted in six groups, separated by their inclination to use technology, their dynamics and their uncertainty avoidance. Further analysis however showed that there are mainly four strategic dispositions within the population, where the two groups with a lower inclination to use technology showed similar patterns to two of the other groups. The four strategic dispositions are therefore divided by means of dynamics and uncertainty avoidance. Dynamics is a concept mainly based on contextual characteristics and uncertainty avoidance is a concept mainly based on how the firms handles the context. The overall context and handling of this context constitute an application context.The first application context in a situation of high dynamics and low uncertainty avoidance is labelled stratège development, where information technology has a strong linkage to core competencies in the business. In this application context, the strategic disposition is proactive. The second, based on high dynamics and high uncertainty avoidance, labelled adaptive change, includes patterns where information technology are used to adapt to uncertain environments. The strategic disposition is reactive. The third application context, in low dynamics and high uncertainty avoidance, is labelled fixed relations, where information technology is used to maintain a fixed relation with an other actor in the environment. This strategic disposition is interactive. Finally, in low dynamics and low uncertainty avoidance, the application context is labelled fixed structures. Information technology is in this case used not to achieve dynamics or growth, nor to reduce uncertainty, but merely because of a fixed structural complexity best handled with information technology. The disposition is inactive in its mode.The different strategic dispositions show that introduction of information technology is influenced by both context as well as individual intentions. The strategic importance of information technology is therefore a complex conception, to be used with discretion.digitalisering@um

Vem bär ansvaret? : En studie om gymnasielärares perspektiv på HBTQIA+-inkludering inom skolan

HBTQIA+-personers ökade risk för psykisk ohälsa är nära kopplad till minoritetsstress, vilket innebär att dessa personer ofta utsätts för kränkningar, hot och diskriminering. Detta resulterar i en märkbar skillnad i upplevd psykisk ohälsa jämfört med personer som inte identifierar sig som en HBTQIA-person, då samhället övervägande formas efter en heteronormativ modell. Skolan, som spelar en stor roll i ungdomars liv och hälsa, ska enligt skollagen aktivt arbeta med inkludering. Genom att aktivt arbeta med detta kan skolan spela en central roll i att minska de negativa konsekvenserna av minoritetsstress och därigenom främja en positiv psykisk hälsa för HBTQIA+-elever. Detta stödjer inte bara deras individuella välmående utan bidrar även till att skapa en inkluderande och respektfull skolmiljö för alla elever. Tidigare forskning visar även på att det finns en viss problematik i att skapa en inkluderande miljö inom skolan. Syftet med vår studie är därför att undersöka vilka hinder och stödjande faktorer som påverkar gymnasielärares förmåga att skapa en trygg och inkluderande miljö för HBTQIA+-elever inom skolan. För att besvara studiens syfte har studien använt sig av en kvalitativ metodansats, där semistrukturerade intervjuer med fem gymnasielärare har utförts. En tematisk analys har använts för att analysera det insamlade datamaterialet, totalt identifierades fyra huvudteman och nio underkategorier. Studiens resultat visar på utmaningar inom skolan kring inkludering av HBTQIA+-elever, där ansvaret ofta vilar på enskilda lärare i stället för på en proaktiv organisatorisk nivå. Skolan visar sig vara reaktiv och saknar tydliga riktlinjer för normkritik och inkludering. Ett ytterligare resultat tyder på att en heteronormativ kultur är framträdande och formar skolmiljön. Det är viktigt att notera att dessa resultat grundar sig på lärarnas perspektiv och erfarenheter inom skolsystemet. Slutsatsen framhäver behovet av utbildning på både individuell och organisatorisk nivå som avgörande för att motverka denna kultur. En ytterligare indikation understryker vikten av att skolledningen behöver vara mer aktiv i inkluderingsarbetet, och en kontinuerlig implementering av detta arbete över året är önskvärd för att skapa en varaktig inkluderande miljö. Studien poängterar vikten av organisatoriskt ansvar och systematiska insatser för att skapa en enhetlig och långsiktig inkluderande skolmiljö

Vem bär ansvaret? : En studie om gymnasielärares perspektiv på HBTQIA+-inkludering inom skolan

HBTQIA+-personers ökade risk för psykisk ohälsa är nära kopplad till minoritetsstress, vilket innebär att dessa personer ofta utsätts för kränkningar, hot och diskriminering. Detta resulterar i en märkbar skillnad i upplevd psykisk ohälsa jämfört med personer som inte identifierar sig som en HBTQIA-person, då samhället övervägande formas efter en heteronormativ modell. Skolan, som spelar en stor roll i ungdomars liv och hälsa, ska enligt skollagen aktivt arbeta med inkludering. Genom att aktivt arbeta med detta kan skolan spela en central roll i att minska de negativa konsekvenserna av minoritetsstress och därigenom främja en positiv psykisk hälsa för HBTQIA+-elever. Detta stödjer inte bara deras individuella välmående utan bidrar även till att skapa en inkluderande och respektfull skolmiljö för alla elever. Tidigare forskning visar även på att det finns en viss problematik i att skapa en inkluderande miljö inom skolan. Syftet med vår studie är därför att undersöka vilka hinder och stödjande faktorer som påverkar gymnasielärares förmåga att skapa en trygg och inkluderande miljö för HBTQIA+-elever inom skolan. För att besvara studiens syfte har studien använt sig av en kvalitativ metodansats, där semistrukturerade intervjuer med fem gymnasielärare har utförts. En tematisk analys har använts för att analysera det insamlade datamaterialet, totalt identifierades fyra huvudteman och nio underkategorier. Studiens resultat visar på utmaningar inom skolan kring inkludering av HBTQIA+-elever, där ansvaret ofta vilar på enskilda lärare i stället för på en proaktiv organisatorisk nivå. Skolan visar sig vara reaktiv och saknar tydliga riktlinjer för normkritik och inkludering. Ett ytterligare resultat tyder på att en heteronormativ kultur är framträdande och formar skolmiljön. Det är viktigt att notera att dessa resultat grundar sig på lärarnas perspektiv och erfarenheter inom skolsystemet. Slutsatsen framhäver behovet av utbildning på både individuell och organisatorisk nivå som avgörande för att motverka denna kultur. En ytterligare indikation understryker vikten av att skolledningen behöver vara mer aktiv i inkluderingsarbetet, och en kontinuerlig implementering av detta arbete över året är önskvärd för att skapa en varaktig inkluderande miljö. Studien poängterar vikten av organisatoriskt ansvar och systematiska insatser för att skapa en enhetlig och långsiktig inkluderande skolmiljö

Motivators of the Next Great Generation : A quantitative study conducted on Millennials employed in Sweden

It is argued that the new generation called Millennials are being needy, disloyal and narcissistic, and need more attention than previous generations. This is an issue for organizations and managers considering that employed Millennials have higher turnover intention, thus will not stay for as long as prior generations which further contributes to large costs for the companies. Consequently, managers will have an advantage of understanding what is motivating Millennials in order to facilitate for the workforce to perform to the highest extent whilst being employed for the company. As a result, the purpose of this thesis was to examine if previous conducted studies regarding motivation and Millennials were applicable to employed Millennials in Sweden. Furthermore, we wanted to more specifically examine if job satisfaction, work-life balance, organizational commitment and feedback were of importance since those factors has been argued to be highly influential regarding what is motivating this new workforce. Motivation can further be divided into intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation, where the former can be described as the drive that comes from within whilst the latter describes that the drive is the result from external factors. Our research question was as a result: Do job satisfaction, work-life balance, organizational commitment, and feedback have an effect on intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation among Millennials working in Sweden? To answer the research question and fulfil the purpose of our thesis, we conducted a quantitative study by publishing a questionnaire online in order to reach Millennials working in Sweden since most previous studies conducted has been more focused on a qualitative nature within Anglo-Saxon countries. When analysing our results from the survey we could conclude that organizational commitment had a significant positive effect on both intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation, whilst work-life balance had a significant negative effect and unfavourable feedback had a significant positive effect on the sample ́s extrinsic motivation. To conclude, the theoretical contribution of this study has been to further provide knowledge regarding Millennials and more specifically employed Millennials in Sweden. Lastly, since we both are students enrolled in the Master’s program in Management, our focus has been on managerial considerations and has therefore contributed to results that can be of advantage to managers and organizations regarding how they can both motivate their new workforce in addition to obtain greater knowledge of understanding them and their needs

From Complexity to Simplicity: on the Application of Three Techniques for Multivariate Data Analysis

The aim of this paper is to give an overview of three important techniques; factor, cluster and discriminant analysis. I find it necessary and more important to have an understanding of the basic assumptions and the underlying foundations of the methods rather than a thorough mathematical understanding of the algorithms. I will therefore account for a description of these methods based on a geometrical viewpoint and a more conceptual view rather than mathematical. A general description of the three techniques will be followed by a case, showing an application of all three techniques in the same study.Complexity; Simplicity; Multivariate Data Analysis; Cluster analysis; Discriminant analysis