Svenja Feiler

The value of Olympic success and the intangible effects of sport events – a contingent valuation approach in Germany

Abstract Olympic Games produce tangible and intangible effects that have been extensively researched; however, little is known on the importance of Olympic success to the population. The purpose of this study was to investigate the value of Olympic success using the contingent valuation method (CVM). The empirical evaluation is undertaken with data from a nationwide population survey in Germany (n=2006). Residents were asked to state their willingness-to-pay (WTP) for Germany being ranked first in the medal table and for a German winning a gold medal in track and field at the 2012 London Olympics. Average WTP amounts to €6.13 and €5.21, respectively. The regression results show that consumption capital and intangible factors were significant determinants of WTP. The findings can be integrated into cost-benefit analyses that are carried out for major sport events and can help justifying the use of taxpayer money to finance major sport events and elite sport development.

Socio-economic patterns of sport demand and ageing

Due to the demographic situation in nowadays societies, physical activity, and sport expenditure have to be analysed from a demographic as well as socio-economical perspective. This means that determinants such as age, gender, nationality/ethnicity, income, time, educational level, profession, and social status have to be taken into account. However, when comparing the various studies, the different methods of analysis and different operationalisation of variables have to be considered. This is in particular vital investigating age. Whilst cross-sectional studies point out that physical activity generally decreases with increasing age, longitudinal analyses come to different results. Previous studies indicate that pertaining to gender more men take part in sports than women. However, considering period and cohort effects, recent longitudinal studies showed that women participate more in sport than in the past. Besides, it was found out that men generally tend to spend more money on sports than women do. A further finding is that the educational level influences physical activity positively. Research revealed that income had a positive impact on both, physical activity and sport expenditure.

Organizational performance of nonprofit and for-profit sport organizations

Research question: This study contributes to the organizational performance literature by conceptualizing differences in performance between nonprofit and for-profit organizations using property rights theory and suggesting comparative measures for multiple performance dimensions. It advances the following research question: Are there significant differences in organizational performance between nonprofit and for-profit sport organizations? Research methods: Data from a nationwide online survey of nonprofit (n = 1640) and for-profit sport organizations (n = 732) in German equestrian sport are used for the empirical analysis. The challenge was to find adequate measures for the comparison of the two types of legal forms. Altogether, 22 regression models for performance measures across four dimensions (financial, product, customer, strategic) are estimated with the legal form (nonprofit vs. for-profit) and some controls as independent variables. Results and findings: The results show that for-profit organizations outperform nonprofit organizations in terms of overall financial performance, while nonprofits excel with regard to price structure. For-profits attach more importance to program quality, employee qualifications, and strategies. No significant differences can be observed in the product dimension. However, for-profits tend to focus on customer groups that have typically been targeted by nonprofits. Since the models also control for organizational size and resources, the results indicate that differences are not always attributable to the legal form. Implications: The findings imply that for-profits do not outperform nonprofits in all performance dimensions. Nonprofits should consider that for-profits have invaded some of their typical domains and should be more flexible when market demand changes, while for-profits should reconsider their price structure.

Suppliers' perception of destination competitiveness in a winter sport resort

Purpose – Tourism has become a global industry, with the destination being at the core of the tourism product. Due to an increasingly competitive market place, ensuring destination competitiveness is vital. The aim of this study is to detect which factors destination suppliers perceive as important for the competitiveness of their destination.Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative research paradigm was chosen. A survey was conducted using a self‐administered questionnaire containing questions referring to the five dimensions of the destination competitiveness model by Ritchie and Crouch. The convenience sample comprised n=71 stakeholders of the supply‐side. Indices for the dimensions were computed. A MANOVA was conducted to test for differences in the perception of the destination competitiveness dimensions. Post‐hoc tests were employed to test between which groups the differences lay.Findings – Six stakeholder groups were detected. The estimated model suggested that significant differences regardin...

The interrelationship between sport activities and the perceived winter sport experience

This study analyses the behaviour of active sport tourists based on theories of experience and by applying such theories to a winter sport setting. The aim of this article is to empirically investigate the influence of performed sport activities on the perceived winter sport tourist experience. This research question was investigated using a survey by means of a self-administered questionnaire. In the city of Oberstdorf, Germany, n = 381 winter sport tourists were questioned about their activities, behaviour, and their perception of the winter sport experience. The results reveal that the activities performed by the tourists have an impact on their perceived winter sport experience. Particularly, alpine skiing and sledging as well as a combination of a range of activities contributed to the winter sport experience. Interestingly, different activities were found to drive different dimensions of the winter sport experience.

Design and delivery of sport for all programmes: should it be market, non-profit, or state-run?

Based on a survey conducted in the city of Munich with a sample of n = 6924 residents and data on sport programmes, multilevel analyses were carried out to investigate the design and delivery of sport programmes and whether substitution effects exist. The results suggested that sport programmes offered by non-profit sport clubs foster participation in clubs, whereas the availability of programmes of commercial providers decreases participation in non-profit clubs. Thus, substitution effects were observed. However, commercial providers also complemented non-profit clubs in terms of specific sport programmes, as different groups are targeted and wider hours of operation are provided. No influence was observed for state-run programmes. Thus, non-profit sport clubs can be regarded as guarantors of sport participation, and, since they also foster social capital and positive externalities, policy makers should invest public funds in non-profit sport clubs.

Sport Clubs in Germany

Germany is home to approximately 80.8 million people who live in 16 federal states (Destatis 2014a). Thereby, Germany is the most heavily populated country in the European Union and German is the most frequently spoken first language within the EU (EU 2014). A recent population survey reveals that 16.3 million people who live in Germany have a migration background (Destatis 2013). This shows that Germany is home to many different cultures and ethnicities. Since 1990, the former German Democratic Republic (Eastern Germany) is united with the Federal Republic of Germany (former Western Germany). Today, Germany is the biggest economy within the EU. Apart from large international companies, the German economy is characterised by consisting of many small- and medium-sized enterprises. Main sectors within the German economy include among others automobile production, mechanical and electrical engineering, and chemicals (EU 2014). Cultural-wise, Germany is known as the land of poets and thinkers and has a rich cultural scene with roughly 4,800 museums and 35 million yearly visits to theatres and orchestras (Destatis 2014b; Deutscher Buhnenverein 2014).

Sport motivation as driver for segmenting sport tourists in coastal regions

Purpose – The market for sport tourists is very diverse and motivations of sport tourists are manifold. This also applies to the field of water sport tourism, which has not yet intensely been analysed by researchers. In order to analyse motivations and to reach target groups such as water sport tourists adequately, market segmentation is necessary. The purpose of this paper is to investigate sport motivations of tourists during their holidays as well as the tourists participation in water sport activities, using the example of the German North Sea island Sylt. Thereby, consumer profiles will be established.Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative research paradigm was chosen. A survey was conducted using a standardised self‐administered questionnaire. The sample comprised n=263 participants. Two indices, one for sport motivation and one for travel motivation were constructed. Factor, as well as cluster, analysis was applied to segment the sample. Furthermore, discriminant analysis was used to identif...

The effect of Porter’s generic strategies on organisational problems of non-profit sports clubs

Abstract Non-profit sports clubs face several organisational problems relating to memberships, finances, demographic changes and competition from other organisations, which can be addressed through strategic planning. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of Porter’s (1980) generic strategies (cost leadership, differentiation, focus) on the severity of those organisational problems. Quantitative panel data from a German sports club survey are used for the analysis (n = 41,343). Regression results show that clubs pursuing a cost leadership or a focus strategy experience smaller problems in all areas. The efficacy of the differentiation strategy depends on the programmatic option and the problem under investigation: Leisure and mass sport, sport for older people, and non-sport programmes lead to reduced problems, while health sport, sport for immigrants, and programmes similar to those of commercial providers have inconsistent effects. The findings have implications for the management of sports clubs.

Sexualisierte Gewalt im Sport: Prävalenz und Strukturen der Prävention im organisierten Sport in Deutschland

Anlehnend an den Diskurs um sexualisierte Gewalt im Kontext des Sports verweist der Beitrag darauf, dass auch im Sport Gefahrdungspotenziale fur sexualisierte Gewalt bestehen. Der Artikel nimmt Bezug auf erste Befunde des Projekts »Safe Sport«, welches vom Bundesministerium fur Bildung und Forschung Projekt gefordert wird. Das Projekt zielt darauf ab, die Pravalenz sowie die Formen und Konstellationen sexualisierter Gewalt im Sport in Deutschland und daruber hinaus die praventiven Bemuhungen der Sportverbande und –vereine zu skizzieren. Die Autor_innen sprechen sich fur die Herstellung und Etablierung einer Kultur des Hinsehens aus.