The Role of Coaches in Facilitating Collaborative Innovation in Sports Services: A Qualitative Study of Sports Clubs

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PhD student of Sports Management, University of Urmia, Urmia ,Iran

2 Associate of Professor Sport Management, University of urmia, urmia ,Iran

3 Professor of Sport Management, University of urmia, urmia ,Iran

4 Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of kurdistan, sanandaj ,Iran

10.22034/jsmk.2025.67283.1120

Abstract

Service innovation is a critical dimension in creating value for sports clubs. This study aimed to explore the role of coaches in facilitating service innovation within sports clubs. Adopting a qualitative research approach, the study was applied in nature and exploratory in purpose. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. The research population included all coaches of individual and team sports in Kermanshah province. 17 participants were selected as representatives of coaches of sports clubs in Kermanshah province. Interviews were conducted using purposive and snowball sampling methods and continued until theoretical saturation was reached. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed through a six-phase thematic coding framework. To ensure the reliability of the coding process, inter-coder agreement was assessed using Cohen’s Kappa coefficient, which yielded a value of 0.84. To validate the findings, a peer debriefing strategy was employed, whereby a member of the research team reviewed the coding process and interpretation of interviews to ensure accuracy. The thematic analysis identified 14 sub-themes, which were categorized into three overarching themes: facilitating co-innovation, balancing creativity and constraints, and enhancing club value through creativity.

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References

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History

  • Receive Date: 15 May 2025
  • Revise Date: 12 June 2025
  • Accept Date: 22 August 2025

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