Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 DABIR
2 Associate Professor of Sports Management, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran
3 Professor, Department of Sports Management, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
This study designed and analyzed the cultural model of Iranian football clubs using an integrated qualitative–quantitative approach. The research method employed a mixed design to comprehensively and scientifically examine the various dimensions of the cultural model. In the qualitative phase, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 12 experts, managers, and veterans in the field of football. Using conceptual coding and thematic analysis, 42 basic themes, 12 organizing themes, and 3 overarching themes were extracted. The minimum sample size was determined to be 300 participants based on the recommendations of Nunnally and Bernstein (1994) and Guilford (1954). To account for sample attrition, a reduction rate of 0.8 was applied following Shao et al.’s recommendation. Finally, through random sampling, 300 individuals from the statistical population were selected as the sample. Quantitative data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Additionally, the Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) method was employed to identify and categorize the levels of factors influencing the cultural model. The results indicated that “club cultural and national identity” and “cultural leadership based on sports ethics” played fundamental and key roles in shaping the cultural model of Iranian football clubs. The use of the Lasshe and Kappa coefficients and reliability assessment of interviews further enhanced data validity. Ultimately, the proposed cultural model provided a systematic framework for understanding and developing culture within Iranian football clubs, offering generalizability and applicability across different managerial levels.
Keywords
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