The constitution of profession in a sociological sense: An example of sports management

Abstract

In this paper, the field of sports management is considered through the prism of the sociology of professions. The authors start from the hypothesis that sports management is currently a semi-profession due to it missing some of the classical elements highlighted within sociological literature. It is primarily about professional associations that define the rules of conduct, making professions more or less autonomous. Besides, higher education for sports managers is becoming increasingly desirable, but it is still not mandatory, which is a sine qua non of a true professionalization. The possibility of high earnings leads to various affairs that can weaken the reputation of the profession, and diminish the trust of the public in sports managers. For the professionalization of the field, persistence in the development of professional associations, that would bring the codes of ethics and occupational standards is necessary. Establishing quality educational programs requires recognizing the potential of sport-based entrepreneurship, intending to balance market trends and the needs of athletes, audiences, and the community.

Relevant Sport Management Knowledge, Competencies, and Skills: An Umbrella Review

“…Sport is a large, fast-growing, and employment-intensive economic activity, fully settled into mainstream business and with well-established relationships with political, educational, and economic sectors [1,2]. Since its early stages as an academic discipline [2][3][4], sports management (SM) has needed to clearly define its foundational knowledge and to update programs for providing adequate business/administration-related knowledge, competencies, and skills (K/C/S) to sport managers and administrators [3][4][5]. Furthermore, the establishment of international SM bodies (e.g., NASSM, EASM, WASM, and COSMA), the global implementation of formal (e.g., higher education) and non-formal (e.g., vocational) educational paths, and the growing scholars' interest in SM-related research progressively legitimized SM as an autonomous academic discipline [2,3,6,7].…”

Sports Management Knowledge, Competencies, and Skills: Focus Groups and Women Sports Managers’ Perceptions

“…As an academic discipline, over the past decades, several studies have focused on SM's legitimation and recognition [1,2,[4][5][6], highlighting dominant field-related trends to adjust academic and vocational training. In particular, the definition of the SM foundational, relevant knowledge, necessary competencies, and skills (K/C/S), main features of roles and responsibilities in managing and leading sports organizations, and teaching/learning methodologies represented a priority to enhance the whole sector professionalization, SM graduates' preparedness, and employees' performance [7,8].…”