Identifying Strategies and Intervening Factors in the Sustainable Development of Professional Sport in Iraq
Keywords:
Sustainable development, professional sport, Iraq, grounded theory, sport governance, strategic planning, structural equation modeling.Abstract
This study aimed to identify the intervening factors and propose strategic pathways for the sustainable development of professional sport in Iraq. Employing an exploratory sequential mixed-method design, the study was conducted in two phases. The qualitative phase utilized grounded theory methodology based on Strauss and Corbin's systematic approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 14 purposefully selected experts, including sport administrators, academic scholars, and industry specialists. Theoretical sampling continued until data saturation was achieved. Interview transcripts were analyzed through open, axial, and selective coding using MAXQDA software. In the subsequent quantitative phase, findings from the qualitative analysis informed the development of a structured questionnaire, which was distributed to a larger population for model validation. The inferential data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the causal relationships among categories derived from the qualitative stage. The results of SEM indicated that management issues, legal deficiencies, and economic constraints had a significant negative impact on the sustainability of professional sport in Iraq (p < 0.01). Environmental and infrastructural challenges were also shown to moderate the relationship between cultural factors and development strategies (p < 0.05). Among the strategic categories, investment enhancement, educational and research development, and media capacity building demonstrated a significant positive effect on the implementation of sustainable sports policies (p < 0.01). Moreover, strategic development planning and infrastructure expansion emerged as strong mediators between institutional reform and stakeholder engagement (p < 0.001). The study concluded that sustainable development of professional sport in Iraq requires a multifaceted approach integrating institutional reform, inclusive planning, targeted investment, and strategic stakeholder collaboration. Addressing legal and managerial deficiencies while leveraging media, tourism, and research capacities can significantly contribute to overcoming the current systemic challenges.
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Copyright (c) 2024 Ali Qahtan Abdulsahib Al-Zubaidi, Kebria Eghbali, Saif Harith Ibrahim, Mahboubeh Khodaparast (Author)
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