Innovation strategies in sports management: COVID-19 and the Latin American tennis federations

Abstract

[ES] Proposito ¿ El prop osito de este art ¿culo es discutir algunas de las estrategias de innovaci on utilizadas por las federaciones nacionales latinoamericanas como respuesta a la pandemia COVID-19. Diseno/metodolog ~ ¿a/enfoque ¿ La metodolog ¿a consiste en una entrevista. La entrevista se dividi o en tres secciones adem as de la de consentimiento: una parte descriptiva, otra con 30 preguntas que evaluaban las actitudes y percepciones, y una secci on final que inclu ¿a preguntas abiertas. Despu es de que la informaci on fuera recogida, se utiliz o el software SPSS para comprobar la distribuci on de la muestra. Hallazgos ¿ Los resultados sugieren que las organizaciones analizadas han utilizado diversas estrategias de innovaci on durante este periodo sin precedentes. Estas estrategias se han aplicado en areas como la informaci on, la participaci on, la comunicaci on y la digitalizaci on. Research limitations/implications ¿ The first limitations related to the sample size of executives who completed the questionnaire. The second limitation refers to the details provided in the open section of the questionnaire. Specifically, the space allocated for the answers and the degree of detail required could have been optimized by providing further instructions on the importance of facilitating information related to the implementation of the programs. Limitaciones del estudio/Implicaciones ¿ La primera limitaci on est a relacionada con el tamano de la ~ muestra de los ejecutivos que completaron el cuestionario. La segunda limitaci on se refiere a la informaci on que se proporciona en la primera secci on del cuestionario. Espec ¿ficamente, el espacio donde se situan las respuestas y el grado de detalle requerido podr ¿an haber sido optimizados a trav es de la provisi on de instrucciones m as detalladas sobre la importancia de facilitar la informaci on relacionada con la implementaci on de los programas. Originalidad/valor ¿ El estudio ayuda a la mejor comprensi on de la gesti on de los deportes. Adem as, el hecho de desarrollar el estudio en el contexto del COVID arroja luz a la problem atica del deporte en el contexto de una pandemia como la actual.

[EN] Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss some of the most relevant innovation strategies used by the Latin American national tennis federations as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach The methodology consists of a survey. The survey consisted of three sections apart from the consent one: a general descriptive part, one with 30 questions to assess attitudes and perceptions and a final section which included open questions. After the data were collected, the SPSS software was used to test the distribution of the sample. Findings Results show that executives' perception toward their need for involvement in the decision-making process varies. Research limitations/implications The first limitation relates to the sample size of executives who completed the questionnaire. The second limitation refers to the details provided in the open section of the questionnaire. Specifically, the space allocated for the answers and the degree of detail required could have been optimized by providing further instructions on the importance of facilitating information related to the implementation of the programs. Practical implications The results demonstrate that, although traditional management, organizational and administrative behaviors are still present in the tennis ecosystem, a more innovative mentality should embed these organizations. It is then relevant that sport and tennis organizations commit to the implementation of innovative strategies for the optimization of the administration of their ecosystems. Originality/value The paper adds more understanding to the brand of sports management. Furthermore, the fact of developing the study in a COVID-19 context sheds light on the issues faced by sports in a pandemic like this one.