This thesis investigates the underlying mechanisms and processes that shape sport sponsorship in Cyprus. A systematic review of the international sport sponsorship literature (1980-2009) is undertaken and used as the guide for the qualitative empirical study concentrating on football sponsorship activity undertaken in Cyprus as a developing sport sponsorship market. The systematic review reveals sponsorship management structures, practices, tendencies, and models adopted at a range of national settings, and discloses contrasts that exist in different contexts. The findings of the systematic review highlight the management practices employed by sponsors, such as their motives, decision-making practices, activation and leveraging initiatives, objectives, and evaluation processes. With regard to the empirical investigation, sponsorship activity is viewed and interpreted within the broader social and cultural context in which it takes place. The analysis of the findings is informed by critical realism paradigm, so that the underlying causal mechanisms and structures shaping (or influencing) sponsorship activity in Cyprus are identified and discussed. Specifically, the findings of study, which focused on the top division of the national professional league, revealed the existence of a sponsorship continuum involving four significantly different sponsorship approaches, ranging from purely philanthropic to heavily rational and commercial. Interestingly, the study revealed the interdependence of global and local processes within the sponsorship-related practices, suggesting that sponsorship arrangements in this specific context are marked culturally by processes of glocalisation. Such processes appeared to be vividly expressed in sponsorship-related projects in Cyprus, and involved an amalgamation of several local and cultural factors such as a strong prevalence of localism, nationalism, political clientelism, and reliance on personal relations. Community pressures seemed to have a central role in sponsorship related decision-making, whilst sponsorship activity appeared also to be influenced by the structure of the sponsors industry, the organisational structure and corporate culture, as well as by the structure and local specificity of the football market in Cyprus. More specifically, competitive imbalance of the national league, politicisation of football, the level of competition within a particular industry, and centrality of authority and control (both organisational and cultural), are additional factors that appeared to impact sponsorship activity in the specific market.

This thesis comprises three studies that empirically evaluate the perceptions of sports managers and academics of the importance of competencies for sports managers in Taiwan. First, a systematic review technique is conducted to review the literature on competency-based studies in sports management and this is followed by three empirical studies. Study I is designed to develop an appropriate research instrument for the evaluation of the perceptions of the importance of competencies to the successful conducting of a sports manager's job in Taiwan. Study II analyzes the underlying features in these competencies and provides a comparison of the perceptions of the two populations. Study III identifies and evaluates the process of curriculum construction in three leading academic institutions and its relationship to competency-based education. The thesis concludes that although there are many globaUshared phenomena in the development of sports management, the perceptions of important competencies of sports managers may vary in different local contexts and thus locally based analysis is necessary to identify culturally specific features.

Thesis. (M. Tech. (Dept. of Marketing, Faculty of Management Sciences)) -- Vaal University of Technology, 2011. / Spectators are key constituents of sport organisations’ success as a large spectator base attracts sponsors. Once a spectator enters a sport stadium, the physical environment and the experience of the game may lead to a relationship with the environment and a team resulting in the spectator either revisiting a sport stadium, recommending the venue to others or avoiding the environment. Spectator attendance at sports stadia is also a primary sources of revenue for sport events. Stadium attendance also brings different benefits for spectators as a stadium can add excitement and atmosphere to an event experience and opportunities for socialisation within the environment. The main purpose of this study was to determine the role of servicescapes in spectators’ attendance at selected sport stadiums in Gauteng. Since sport depends on the facility for its production and service delivery, place (distribution) is an essential component in the marketing mix, as it can lead to approach or avoidance behaviours. The study was conducted at two different stadiums namely (Soccer City (formerly FNB) and Orlando stadiums) in the Gauteng Province. A quantitative research approach was used. A structured questionnaire was administered to 200 spectators using non-probability convenience sampling. Data from a total of 170 completed questionnaires were analysed. Data analysis was undertaken in two phases: firstly by pilot testing the questionnaire and secondly by the consolidation of the main survey findings through a more detailed analysis. The data was analysed with a view to address the objectives of the study. In order to ensure high quality analysis, all evidence was considered and all major rival interpretations were also addressed. Factor analysis was used to determine the various servicescape dimensions. Seven factors of servicescape were extracted, namely scoreboard quality, refreshment provisioning, facility aesthetics, space allocation, stadium accessibility, seating comfort and stadium cleanliness. The findings in this study indicate that there is significant positive correlation between the seven factors and future attendance and also a desire to stay within the stadium. The regression analysis reported significant predictive relationships between the stadium servicescape, future attendance and also a desire to stay within the stadium. Regression models depict that spatial allocation and functionality followed by stadia cleanliness made the greatest impact on spectators’ desire to stay within a servicescape and seating comfort and facility aesthetics significantly contributes to future patronage. Recommendations in this study suggest that stadium management and sport marketers should not concentrate on one factor but on several servicescape factors in order to maintain spectator patronage on sport stadium. By fulfilling spectators’ expectations, sport marketers and stadium management should ensure that spectators are satisfied with the stadium facilities and the physical environment to maintain their retention and loyalty to the stadium. / Central Research Committee. Vaal University of Technology.

This thesis identified key mix design variables that influence the mechanical properties and behaviour of shockpads and developed a mechanical model to describe this behaviour. This investigation was undertaken to address the lack of scientific understanding of shockpad layers used in synthetic sports pitches. Shockpads play a crucial role in the player and ball interaction properties of synthetic pitches. However, the current poor state of knowledge regarding shockpad mix design effects and the implications for site practice during construction was developed through constructor experience and basic testing. This lack of comprehensive knowledge was reflected in the barelyexistent standards for design specification and testing requirements stipulated by sporting governing bodies at the time of this project inception. Further scientific investigation of the effects of shockpad mix design on mechanical properties and behaviour was required to develop guidelines to optimise shockpad design, construction and testing and also to build more knowledge on sport surface behaviour due to growing interest among the industry and other stakeholders such as governing bodies and sport shoe manufacturers for example. A method to construct small-scale cast in-situ shockpads in the laboratory was developed to produce reliable and repeatable samples for investigation, including a benchmark shockpad and shockpads with carefully controlled mix design variations. Shockpad thickness, binder content, binder type, rubber size, rubber size distribution and bulk density were varied through a range of appropriate values in the laboratory constructed shockpads. Shockpads and shockpad-carpet systems (using water based and 3'1 generation carpets) were subjected to Berlin Artificial Athlete and 2.25 kg Clegg Hammer impacts to measure player-surface interaction properties and vertical hockey ball impacts to measure ball interaction properties. Tensile measurements and cyclic fatigue testing were used to determine shockpad durability. Impact testing was repeated on shockpads and shockpad-carpet systems with thickness variations to determine shockpad behaviour using a force plate. Behaviour measurements were used to develop a mechanical model to describe shockpad behaviour. (Continues...).

Η έρευνα που ακολουθεί έχει ως σκοπό να διερευνήσει την σαφήνεια των αρμοδιοτήτων, το εύρος της συνεργασίας και του συντονισμού των εμπλεκόμενων φορέων στην ασφάλεια αθλητικών ποδοσφαιρικών εκδηλώσεων στην Ελλάδα. Επιπρόσθετα, επιδιώκει να προσδιορίσει κατά πόσο τα θεσμοθετημένα μέτρα ασφάλειας που ισχύουν και εφαρμόζονται στα πρωταθλήματα ποδοσφαίρου με επαγγελματικά αθλητικά σωματεία είναι επαρκή. Επίσης, επιχειρεί να αξιολογήσει τις παραμέτρους εκείνες που λαμβάνονται υπόψη στον επιχειρησιακό σχεδιασμό ενός αθλητικού γεγονότος, τα υπάρχοντα επιχειρησιακά σχέδια που προβλέπονται σε μια αθλητική εκδήλωση σύμφωνα με Ενιαίο Κανονισμό Ασφαλείας, αλλά και να διαπιστώσει την λειτουργικότητα των αθλητικών εγκαταστάσεων. / The survey below is designed to explore the clarity of responsibilities, the scope of cooperation and coordination between stakeholders in the sports concerning safety of football events in Greece. Additionally seeks to determine whether the statutory security measures in force and applied in leagues with professional clubs is sufficient. It also attempts to evaluate the parameters taken into account in the operational planning of a sporting event, the existing operational plans under a sporting event in accordance with Uniform Rules Security, but also to determine the functionality of sports facilities.