Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1
Chairman of the student sports committee of Khorasan Razavi province
2
President of Islamic Azad University, Damghan Branch, Iran
3
Director of Sports Management Department, Islamic Azad University, Damghan Branch, Iran
Abstract
Background and Purpose
In today’s complex and challenging environment, organizations require capable and diligent human resources to survive and thrive. Enhancing human resource efficiency necessitates effective management and the application of human resource management techniques, which encompass managerial decisions and actions shaping the relationship between organizations and their personnel (Assari et al., 2019). The competency gap refers to the discrepancy between employees’ actual competencies and those required by their jobs, often resulting in suboptimal performance (Martin et al., 2006). Competencies are crucial for gaining competitive advantage and motivating employees to develop their skills, thus preparing them for organizational change (Kansal and Jain, 2019). The education sector holds particular importance as a foundational pillar for national development and progress (Pourhaydari et al., 2018). Striving for organizational effectiveness is a common goal across all sectors, including education, where understanding factors influencing effectiveness can guide managers and policymakers. This study aimed to design a training model for senior sports managers based on professional competence within Iran’s education organizational structure, employing an interpretative structural modeling approach.
Materials and Methods
This applied research utilized a qualitative and analytical approach through interpretive structural modeling (ISM). Initially, criteria and indicators of professional competence for education managers were extracted via open, axial, and selective coding. Components and explanatory elements of senior sports manager training based on professional competence were identified within Iran’s education structure. ISM was then employed to stratify and prioritize these factors. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews and matrix questionnaires. Thematic analysis, grounded in repeated data patterns and theoretical foundations, guided coding and interpretation. Participants included sports management professors, directors of education in major cities and provinces, current and former Ministry of Education officials, and experts from the Student Sports Federation. Purposeful sampling yielded 21 interviews until theoretical saturation was achieved. Subsequently, the matrix questionnaire was distributed among nine participants for ISM analysis.
Findings
Analysis yielded 93 open codes categorized into 15 sub-concepts and three main categories: primary abilities, secondary abilities, and special abilities. Selective coding identified 15 key competencies, including scientific and specialized skills, managerial abilities, political awareness, authority and professional ethics, strategic vision, selective abilities, communication skills, mental abilities, networking, developmental thinking, social responsibility, operational sports capability, decision-making, personal capabilities, and sports ecology. Theoretical coding grouped these into three overarching categories: prerequisite, secondary, and special managerial abilities.
ISM revealed seven hierarchical levels influencing senior sports manager training. The foundational level comprised sports ecology and social responsibility; the second included networking and operational sports capabilities; the third encompassed personal and mental abilities; political awareness stood alone at the fourth level; selective abilities, communication skills, and decision-making formed the fifth; developmental thinking and strategic vision appeared at the sixth; and the highest level included scientific and specialized skills, managerial abilities, authority, and professional ethics.
Conclusion
Understanding managerial competencies requires examining organizational management levels and corresponding skill requirements. Employee qualification is a vital technique for enhancing productivity and optimizing individual and group capacities aligned with organizational goals. Human resources surpass technology and financial assets in importance (Yang, 2017). Selecting managers aligned with a professional competency model ensures organizational objectives are met effectively. Organizations, especially in public sectors, should prioritize recruiting competent, committed individuals based on scientific qualifications. Managers with strong scientific backgrounds and strategic vision-even if less experienced-may better serve educational sports organizations. Emotional intelligence, reflected in communication, selective ability, and decision-making, is critical for managerial success and should be cultivated through training and specialized services.
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