Designing the Assessment Framework of Knowledge-Based Economy in Iranian Sports System and Analysis of the Development Gap Based on It

Background and Purpose
In the field of national championship sports, numerous studies have been conducted using various methods, each with its own strengths and limitations. However, when it comes to championship sports within the armed forces, particularly the army, there is a noticeable lack of comprehensive research that effectively guides successful performance in this specialized context (Abbasi et al., 2022). The limited research that does exist generally addresses sports within the armed forces broadly, without focusing specifically on championship sports in the Islamic Republic of Iran Army (AJA). One of the significant weaknesses of existing studies on armed forces sports is the presence of diverse stakeholders with sometimes conflicting interests across different military branches such as the Pasdar Guards, Police Force, and Army. Additionally, the environments in which championship sports operate within these branches vary considerably, which complicates the development of unified strategies (Manochehri, Baran Cheshme & Manochehri, 2019).
This lack of comprehensive research in the area of AJA championship sports has led to a decision-making process overly reliant on the opinions of senior managers, often excluding the perspectives of other key stakeholders involved in championship sports. This approach has two major drawbacks. First, it results in insufficient attention to the various processes that contribute to success in championship sports. Second, it overlooks the fact that success in championship sports is influenced by the performance of many stakeholders, each playing a crucial role in the overall outcome (Isazadeh, Mohammadi, & Emami, 2021). Given these considerations, the present study was undertaken to fill the research gap in the field of army championship sports and to address the weaknesses of previous studies. The study aims to identify and prioritize the beneficiaries of championship sports in the AJA and to determine the factors influencing the success of these sports.
Materials and Methods
This study employed a mixed-methods research design, conducted in two distinct parts. The first part focused on identifying and prioritizing the beneficiaries of championship sports within the AJA using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. Initially, beneficiaries were identified qualitatively through library studies and consultations with AJA sports experts. Subsequently, these beneficiaries were prioritized quantitatively using a structured questionnaire based on expert opinions.
The population for the first part consisted of sports experts familiar with AJA championship sports. Due to the absence of an exact population size, snowball sampling was used to conduct interviews with thirteen individuals to identify the beneficiaries. To classify and prioritize these beneficiaries, a benefit-power matrix was constructed based on data collected via a structured questionnaire distributed among the same group of experts.
The second part of the study involved identifying the factors affecting the success of army championship sports, drawing on the opinions of the key stakeholders identified in the first part. These key stakeholders formed the population for qualitative interviews, where twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted until theoretical saturation was achieved. Following this, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed on data collected through questionnaires distributed randomly to a sample of 384 beneficiaries involved in army championship sports, as determined by Morgan’s table given the large population size.
 
Findings
The first phase of the research identified twenty beneficiaries of army championship sports, which were then mapped onto the power-benefit matrix. The main beneficiaries with both high benefit and high power included the Army Physical Training Organization, Armed Forces Sports and Physical Fitness Department, Army Ground Force Physical Training, Army Air Force Physical Training, Army Navy Physical Training, Khatam Al Anbia Air Defense Force Physical Training, and Sports Federations. Primary stakeholders with high power but low interest included the Ministry of Sports and the National Olympic Committee. Secondary beneficiaries, characterized by high benefit but low power, encompassed athlete duty staff, athlete support staff, armed forces trainers and supervisors, families of armed forces personnel, financial sponsors, athlete mobilization organizations, athletes' families, experts, and veterans. The least important stakeholders, with low benefit and low power, were identified as society and media.
By identifying and classifying these beneficiaries, the study was able to pinpoint the key stakeholders with significant influence and interest in army championship sports. In the next phase, twelve individuals from this group of key stakeholders were interviewed to identify the factors influencing the success of army championship sports. The qualitative analysis revealed thirty-nine specific factors grouped into nine main categories: supportive, organizational, sports-related, humanitarian, environmental, media-related, motivational, economic, and facilities-related factors.
In the quantitative phase, exploratory factor analysis of the survey data collected from the broader beneficiary population validated these categories and provided a comprehensive understanding of the multidimensional factors affecting success in army championship sports.
 
Conclusion
The findings of this research align with previous studies but also highlight unique aspects specific to the military environment. A critical insight is that many challenges facing AJA championship sports stem from insufficient prioritization by decision-makers within the armed forces. The study suggests that sports managers within the AJA should focus on raising awareness among senior managers and policymakers regarding the importance of championship sports. Emphasizing the ancillary benefits of success in championship sports—such as fostering pride among armed forces families, promoting physical fitness and health among personnel, enhancing the armed forces’ international reputation during peacetime, and stimulating public interest in sports—can help elevate the status of championship sports within the military.
If these efforts succeed and championship sports within the AJA receive the attention they deserve, significant progress toward achieving the goals outlined in this research will be possible. This includes addressing the identified success factors and overcoming existing challenges through coordinated management, resource allocation, and stakeholder engagement.