Organizational Behavior in Sport Management

This textbook presents a comprehensive analysis of organizational behavior in sport organizations from a practitioner's perspective. It covers issues related to managing employees and work teams as well as organizational structure and culture in sport. The book has four sections: Organizational Behavior in the Sports Industry, Getting to Know Employees and Volunteers of Sport Organizations, Work Groups and Teams, and Understanding the Organization. Each chapter begins with a practitioner interview describing a challenge that was overcome by their organization. That example is used to highlight applicable theories and interventions used in the industry. Additional examples or theories are discussed to provide students a broad picture of managerial issues in the sports industry and provide alternative approaches to intervention illustrated in the practitioner interview. The case studies offer the opportunity to practice and apply the ideas to real-world scenarios in the sports industry. Students using this book will gain an understanding of how managers and leaders apply theory to communicate with and engage employees to foster desired organizational cultures while being challenged to address common issues using cases and hypothetical situations.

Christopher R. Barnhill is Associate Professor of Sport Management and Program Coordinator at Georgia Southern University, USA. His research focuses on psychological contracts in sport organizations.Natalie L. Smith is Assistant Professor of Sport Management and coordinator of the Esports Management certificate  at East Tennessee State University, USA. Her primary area of expertise is fostering innovation and creativity in sport organizations.Brent D. Oja is Assistant Professor of Sport Administration at the University of Northern Colorado, USA. His research focuses on the experiences of employees and contributing to their personal development.