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Employee turnover is the loss of talent in the workforce. High employee turnover is expensive and disruptive. Young employees are more likely to leave one job for a better one and are often less attached to an organisation while they are completing their education. The aquatics industry has been described as being in a crisis, experiencing unprecedented levels of turnover amongst lifeguards. A first important step is to understand the reasons for turnover amongst lifeguards. This study utilised semi-structured interviews with aquatic and recreation centre managers (N = 16; 69% female) to explore their insights about lifeguard turnover. A deductive content analysis determined that lifeguards leave their current position for four main reasons: lifeguarding being a temporary position, a negative working environment, pursuing employment in a higher paying lifeguard position and location. Consequently, centre managers need to consider short and long-term strategies to retain lifeguards.

Extensive research has focused on human resource management (HRM) and recruitment and selection practices across different settings. However, there is a gap in the scholarly literature in ARC settings, including lifeguards. Additionally, the aquatics industry is experiencing unprecedented levels of lifeguard turnover within aquatic facilities. The recruitment and selection process can impact employee turnover. Therefore, an important first step to address lifeguard turnover is to better understand the current recruitment and selection practices of lifeguards. This study focuses on the recruitment and selection practices of ARC management to better understand the recruitment and selection of lifeguards. The analysis is based on 16 semi-structured interviews with ARC managers involved in lifeguard recruitment and selection. Participants included center managers, assistant center managers, and operations managers/coordinators. A deductive analysis was able to effectively explain the current recruitment and selection practices for recruiting lifeguards in Victorian ARCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Curricular and co-curricular experiential learning has become a vital component of higher education degree programs. This study examines the evolution of experiential learning in sport management from an international perspective. Self-administered surveys were completed by 98 sport industry organizations in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand to analyze industry practitioners' perceptions of the importance of various general education/liberal arts, business management, and sport management competencies gained through the sport management curriculum. Furthermore, it aimed to determine whether there was an optimal level of experiential learning from industry practitioners' viewpoints. The results highlight the continued and evolving importance of experiential learning within college/university degree programs, and that experiential learning builds beneficial partnerships that prepare students to become future sport management industry practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research is first to ascertain what the brand image of a globally recognized sport club is as perceived by the citizens of a foreign market, then to determine how brand image predict behavioral intentions from the perspective of citizens of a foreign market. Using Real Madrid as an example, a survey study was conducted to collect data from residents of Shanghai, China on their perceptions of the club using a public intercept methodology, and CFA analysis resulted in a 16-item scale showing acceptable validity resulted in the creation of five dimensions titled 'club performance', 'CSR activity', 'club quality', 'club history and tradition', and 'team spirit'. In addition, the study supported the assumption that club image would predict the behavioral intentions of citizens from a foreign market. Professional sport clubs wanting to engage with foreign markets need to recognize the relationship between their brand image and the behavioral intentions of citizens in each foreign market to attract them to become supporters of the club. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper articulates the development of a scale to measure the expected CSR in professional football clubs from a community's perspective and to explore the expectations of CSR in professional football clubs by Chinese citizens. An initial scale containing 39 items along eight dimensions was first developed before an empirical survey study was conducted in which data was collected from a sample of 300 residents from Shanghai. A CFA analysis and modification resulted in a seven-factor instrument of 29 items. Among the factors, 'responsibility to spectators' was rated the most important, followed by 'youth educational initiatives', 'responsibility to employees', 'financial responsibility'; 'health initiatives', and 'environmental initiatives', with 'philanthropic activities' considered the least important factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Byline: Eric C. Schwarz Sport marketing and management have become significant professions within the global landscape of the sport and business industry. Sport marketing and management have had a historical association with the sport sciences; however, there has been a trend to change the focus towards a business orientation at both the educational and professional levels. Does that mean sport marketing and management are no longer important to the sport sciences? The author seeks to answer that question by researching the biophysical, psychosocial and sociocultural domains of sport science to determine whether each domain plays an integral role in sport marketing and management while also enhancing the ability of sport scientists to advance their fields of study. The research shows that, because of the hybrid nature of sport management, there is a need for cross-disciplinary education in sport sciences and sport marketing and management. This requires educators to recognise that interdisciplinary dialogue between sport studies and management needs to take place to assure the future growth of the profession across disciplines. In addition, there is a need for various elements within the professions of sport marketing, sport management and sport sciences to build effective and efficient relationships, collaborations and cooperative efforts.

Byline: Eric C. Schwarz The role of sport marketing in contributing to social capital is derived from the historical relationship of marketing methods and the social sciences. Examples can be found in psychology (attitudes, consumer behaviour, motivation, participation levels, perceived value, perceptions, satisfaction levels), sociology (ethics and morals, ethnicity, gender equity, globalisation, performance enhancement, politics, race, social class and setting, violence and deviance), economics (accounting, asset markets, consumption levels, investments in sport products, labour equilibrium, pricing) and anthropology (cultural identity, ethnography, history of sport, human development and movement, rituals). In addition, market research validates most of these activities and the advertising of sport is related to many of the creative arts. The goal of this paper is to take a look at how marketing seems, in most cases, to have moved away from the social sciences into the business realm by bringing awareness to the historical relationship by articulating the role sport marketing plays in contributing to the social psychological concepts of 'social capital' and 'sense of community'.

Purpose - The case of the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai, China raises an important issue with respect to transnational venue management corporations embedding and operating in foreign markets. The purpose of this paper is to examine how Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) has implemented social embeddedness strategy to influence the management structure and enhance operational performance of the Mercedes-Benz Arena. Design/methodology/approach - A case study approach was chosen to examine the social embeddedness of AEG through the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai. An in-depth interview was conducted with John Cappo, the President and CEO of AEG China, in April 2016. In addition, the relative news and interviews of leaders from AEG and AEG China over the past ten years was also collected. Qualitative content analysis of the data was conducted through a coding approach. All the materials were coded into three main categories based on three aspects of social embeddedness: local stakeholder relations, reputation and trust-building, cultural and institutional adaptation. Findings - AEG has demonstrated how a transnational venue management corporation can successfully integrate social embeddedness strategy with the management structure and operational procedures of the Mercedes-Benz Arena in three ways. First is through the relationship between AEG and its partners in the joint venture, OPG in terms of the enforcement of the contract, the clear division of responsibilities, and the mutual understanding and use of relationship building. Second is the relationship between AEG and the local government in Shanghai. Third was adapting the structures of AEG to fit within local culture and institutional contexts. Originality/value - The unique multi-stakeholder relationship inherent to venue management in China raises important questions with respect to transnational venue management corporations operating in foreign markets. The adaptation to the local context, as a moderating factor to the institutional exposure of a venue management company involves more challenging obstacles for non-local firms, compared to firms which are familiar with their institutional context. Understanding the key solutions in building relationships and trust with partners in joint venture and local government, as well as the key methods to adopt in local contexts, have applications across any number of sport industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Well, this has been a busy few months planning for the 10th Anniversary Conference, implementing new initiatives, and of course the continued trials and tribulations with the new website. Past-President [...]

The article presents a study that investigates the influence of demography and migration in shaping the future of recreation, leisure, and sports.

What a great conference in Houston! As I sit back and reflect on the 9th Annual Sport Marketing Association Conference, I cannot express enough my gratitude and appreciation to Gregg [...]

Sport marketing and management have become significant professions within the global landscape of the sport and business industry. Sport marketing and management have had a historical association with the sport sciences; however, there has been a trend to change the focus towards a business orientation at both the educational and professional levels. Does that mean sport marketing and management are no longer important to the sport sciences? The author seeks to answer that question by researching the biophysical, psychosocial and sociocultural domains of sport science to determine whether each domain plays an integral role in sport marketing and management while also enhancing the ability of sport scientists to advance their fields of study. The research shows that, because of the hybrid nature of sport management, there is a need for cross-disciplinary education in sport sciences and sport marketing and management. This requires educators to recognise that interdisciplinary dialogue between sport studies and management needs to take place to assure the future growth of the profession across disciplines. In addition, there is a need for various elements within the professions of sport marketing, sport management and sport sciences to build effective and efficient relationships, collaborations and cooperative efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]