Research Methods and Design in Sport Management 3rd Edition epub

Learn how to collect, analyze, and share sport management research.

The third edition of Research Methods and Design in Sport Management reflects the ever-evolving area of sport management research. With a strong emphasis on both qualitative and quantitative approaches, the book examines the entire research process and equips readers to produce high-quality, ethically sound, and impactful research tailored to the unique challenges of sport management.

The following are new to the third edition:

• Four chapters on the latest theories in sport management as well as the most recent methodologies—conjoint analysis, machine learning, and systematic review and meta-analysis—in response to the growing interest in data-driven decision making and consumer behavior modeling
• Updates to the visuals, including a full-color design and added photos
• Discussion of the ethics surrounding the responsible use of artificial intelligence in conducting research
• Significant updates throughout the text to modernize its approach, including enhanced coverage of data analysis methods and tools as well as updated examples from current sport industry contexts such as esports, sport ecology, and social media analytics

This new edition exposes readers to the latest developments in sport research and emphasizes the importance of theoretical grounding and advanced statistical techniques, making the book more relevant to both academic and applied audiences.

To ensure readers can effectively apply the research concepts presented, practical examples of past research by leading sport management scholars are incorporated throughout the text. At the conclusion of each chapter, a Research Methods and Design in Action feature links students to relevant articles excerpted from the Journal of Sport Management and Sport Management Education Journal to serve as supplemental learning scenarios.

Research Methods and Design in Sport Management, Third Edition, is a valuable tool for anyone looking to engage in the broad spectrum of research opportunities in sport management. With the help of this book, readers will ensure that they properly collect, analyze, and share research to inform strategic business decisions.

Audience

A graduate or upper-level undergraduate text for research methods and research design courses in sport management programs. A reference for sport management researchers, academics, and sport management professionals.

Part I. Introduction to Research in Sport Management
Chapter 1. Research Concepts in Sport Management
Research Defined
Sport Management Research Classifications
Research Traditions
The Evolution of Sport Management Research
Summary

Chapter 2. Ethical Issues in Research
Protection of Human Subjects
Ethical Principles and Guidelines
Institutional Review Board
Informed Consent
Scientific Dishonesty
Summary

Part II. The Research Process
Chapter 3. Creation of Research Questions
Problem Selection
Literature Review
Development of a Theoretical or Conceptual Framework
Focusing on Research Questions
Identification of Variables
Clarification of Hypotheses
Summary

Chapter 4. Research Design
Steps in Research Design
Sampling
Determination of Sample Size
Validity of a Study
Reliability of a Measurement
Summary

Chapter 5. Data Collection and Analysis
Response Rates
Preparation of Data for Analysis
Scales of Measurement
Descriptive Statistics
Inferential Statistics
Statistical Design
Drawing Conclusions
Summary

Chapter 6. Dissemination of Findings
Academic Conference Presentation
Academic Journal Selection
Manuscript Structure
Journal Publication Process
Evaluation of Journal Articles
Writing a White Paper
Summary

Part III. Research Design in Sport Management
Chapter 7. Surveys
Interviews
Questionnaires
Internet Surveys
Online Research Panels
Questionnaire Development and Design
Types of Error
Summary

Chapter 8. Interviews
Interview Techniques
Interview Process
Data Analysis
Artificial Intelligence
Summary

Chapter 9. Observation Research
Methodological Foundations
Observation Site
Observer Roles
Autoethnography in Sport Management
Online Observation in Sport Management
Data Collection
Field Notes
Data Analysis
Summary

Chapter 10. Case Study Research
Applied Research Advantages
Defining Sport Management Case Study Research
Research Versus Teaching Case Studies
Design and Implementation
Research Preparation
Data Collection
Data Analysis
Case Study Report
Summary

Chapter 11. Historical Research
Academic Perspective
Practical Applications
Research Prerequisites
Topic Selection
Source Material
Data Analysis
Historical Writing
Summary

Chapter 12. Legal Research
Qualities of Legal Research
Nature of the Law and Legal Research
Legal Research Techniques
Sources of Legal Information
Design and Implementation
Summary

Part IV. Statistical Methods in Sport Management
Chapter 13. Analyses of Structure
Importance of Reliability and Validity
Cronbach’s Alpha
Exploratory Factor Analysis and Principal Component Analysis
Confirmatory Factor Analysis
Summary

Chapter 14. Relationships Between Variables
Bivariate Correlation
Simple Linear Regression
Multiple Regression
Mediation, Moderation, and Conditional Process Analysis
Path Analysis
Summary

Chapter 15. Significance of Group Differences
T-Test
One-Way ANOVA
One-Way ANCOVA
Factorial ANOVA
Factorial ANCOVA
One-Way MANOVA
One-Way MANCOVA
Factorial MANOVA
Factorial MANCOVA
Summary

Chapter 16. Prediction of Group Membership
Discriminant Analysis
Logistic Regression
Cluster Analysis
Summary

Part V. Emerging Trends and Research
Chapter 17. Theory in Sport Management
Using Theory
Theories in Sport Management
Summary

Chapter 18. Conjoint Analysis
Introduction to Conjoint Analysis
Application of Conjoint Analysis in Sport Management Research
Theoretical Framework
Types of Conjoint Methods
Designing a Conjoint Study
Summary

Chapter 19. Social Network Analysis in Sport
Background and History of Social Network Analysis
Social Network Analysis in Sport
Collecting Social Network Data
Analyzing Social Network Data
Strengths and Limitations of Social Network Analysis
Future Directions for Social Network Analysis in Sport
Summary

Chapter 20. Sport Analytics
Defining Sport Analytics and Its Process
Analytical Metrics in Sport
Team and Player Performance Metrics
Sport Business Metrics
Sport Analytics Process Examples
Summary

Chapter 21. Machine Learning
Overview of Machine Learning in Sport Management Research
Fundamentals of Machine Learning
Supervised Learning Techniques
Unsupervised Learning Techniques
Advanced Machine Learning Methods
Summary

Chapter 22. Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Brief History and Development of Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Systematic Review
Meta-Analysis
Reporting Guidelines
Software and Tools
Limitations
Summary

Damon Andrew, PhD, serves as dean, superintendent, and professor in the Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences at Florida State University. He earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education and a master’s degree in exercise physiology from the University of South Alabama, two additional master’s degrees in biomechanics and sport management from the University of Florida, and a PhD in sport management from Florida State University. In addition, he completed postgraduate certificates in higher education administration from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, Pennsylvania State University’s College of Education, and Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College of Education and Human Development. Andrew has served as dean at Troy University, Louisiana State University, and Florida State University, where he founded and expanded numerous academic programs and led major academic initiatives.

Andrew’s research has been supported by over $3 million in funding via 33 grants and contracts, and it includes over 215 peer-reviewed articles, proceedings, and book chapters as well as 150 presentations at national and international conferences. He has served as president and member at large for the North American Society for Sport Management, as financial officer for the Sport and Recreation Law Association, and as vice chair, chair-elect, and board chair of the American Association of University Administrators.

Andrew is currently the associate editor of the International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, and he previously served as editor of the Sport Management Education Journal, Journal of Applied Sport Management, and the Journal of Higher Education Management.

His scholarship has been recognized with the 2025 Earle F. Zeigler Lecture Award from the North American Society for Sport Management, the Scholar Lifetime Achievement Award from the Applied Sport Management Association, the Scholar Award from the National Association for Kinesiology in Higher Education, the Southern District Scholar Award from the Society of Health and Physical Educators, and the Mabel Lee Award from the Society of Health and Physical Educators. He is the only sport management scholar to ever be elected as a fellow of both the National Academy of Kinesiology and the National Association for Kinesiology in Higher Education.

Paul M. Pedersen, PhD, is a professor of sport management within the department of kinesiology in the School of Public Health at Indiana University–Bloomington (IU). He has worked as a sportswriter, sport management consultant, and sport business columnist. Pedersen’s primary areas of scholarly interest and research are the symbiotic relationship between sport and communication and the activities and practices of various sport organization personnel.

A research fellow and the 2025 recipient of the Distinguished Research Award from the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM), Pedersen has published more than 12 books (including Contemporary Sport Management, Strategic Sport Communication, Encyclopedia of Sport Management, Handbook of Sport Communication, and Communication in Sport Management) and over 130 articles in peer-reviewed outlets such as the Journal of Sport Management, European Sport Management Quarterly, Sport Marketing Quarterly, International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, Sociology of Sport Journal, International Review for the Sociology of Sport, and Journal of Sports Economics. He has also been a part of more than 140 refereed presentations at professional conferences and more than 50 invited presentations, including invited addresses in China, Denmark, Hungary, Norway, and South Korea. He has been interviewed and quoted in publications as diverse as The New York Times and China Daily.

Founder and editor in chief of the International Journal of Sport Communication, he serves on the editorial board of five other journals. He was a 2024 inductee into the Hall of Fame of the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA) as a Master Professor, was a recipient of the 2020 Distinguished Alumni Award from Florida State University’s College of Education, and was a 2011 inductee into the Golden Eagle Hall of Fame (East High School in Pueblo, Colorado). Pedersen lives in Bloomington, Indiana, with his wife, Jennifer, and their youngest child, Carlie (and Logan), who is in college. Their oldest children, their spouses, and grandkids (Hallie and Liam; Brock and Brooke; Zack, Megan, Nolan, and Cooper) live in Idaho, Indiana, and West Virginia.

All ancillaries are free to adopting instructors through HKPropel.

Instructor guide. Includes a sample syllabus and chapter-specific files that contain a chapter summary, learning objectives, lecture notes, chapter review questions and answers, two to four assignments per chapter, the Research Methods Design in Action activity, web resources, and key terms with definitions.

Test package. Contains 660 questions in true-false, fill-in-the-blank, essay and short-answer, and multiple-choice formats. The files may be downloaded for integration with a learning management system or printed for use as paper-based tests. Instructors may also create their own customized quizzes or tests from the test bank questions to assign to students directly through HKPropel. Multiple-choice and true-false questions are automatically graded, and instructors can review student scores in the platform.

Chapter quizzes. Contains ready-made quizzes (9-10 questions each) to assess student comprehension of the most important concepts in each chapter. Each quiz may be downloaded or assigned to students directly through HKPropel. The chapter assessments are automatically graded, and instructors can review student scores in the platform.

Presentation package. Features PowerPoint slides of text, artwork, and tables from the book that can be used for class discussion and presentation. The slides in the presentation package can be used directly within PowerPoint or printed to make handouts for students. Instructors can easily add, modify, and rearrange the order of the slides.