International Business: Sport Management Case Study

Prerequisite: none; taught in English.

Audience: ISA students

Contact hours: 45 hours

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I. Description: 
The main objective of the course is to introduce the International Business of Sport through an interdisciplinary approach that enters the area from the perspective of business, management, sociology and psychology.
This course explains in a practice-based way the process of professionalization and commercialization as well as the uniqueness of managing athletes. 

Classes will be lecture-based, but active learning and participation will be encouraged through weekly cases, field trips and the possibility of a part time internship. 

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II. Learning outcomes: 
This course will teach participants:

1. Students will gain knowledge in the following areas:
•    Reflect about the process that take place to convert a sport activity into a sport business. 
•    Be able to interpret own political, economic, and/or geographic factors influence components of the sport culture in Europe and the US. 
•    Identify the business factors that are relevant to sport management. 
•    Analyze best ethical practices.
•    Conceptualization of and definitions within the field.

2. Practice based learning:
•    Critical sense with regards to theory and practice in the field of sports management and psychology. 
•    Communication skills.
•    Impression management. 
•    Time management.
•    Giving and accepting feedback.
•    Teambuilding techniques and teamworks.
•    Leadership competencies.
•    Working under the pressure.

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III. Course content (order of content may be modified):

MODULE 1: Conceptualization of Sports Management and different models. 
•    Definition of sport. 
•    Sport Vs Game
•    Role of the different countries and the State in Sports.
•    Difference between the Soviet Union Sports and USA Sports.
•    Viewing and analysis of the documentary Red Army
•    Practicum. Historical case study: How could be the model of the sports programs if the USSR (former Russia) would have won the Cold War?

MODULE 2: Human resource management in sport. Organization and structure of a sports organization.
•    Human resources: What is this and how could we apply in Sports?
•    Institutional organization.
•    Different models in human resources.
•    Strategic Plan in Sports Organization.
•    Different stages in HR.
•    What´s next? Life after sports.
•    Practicum: Choose a professional team or structure and analyze the competencies and taking of decision. 

MODULE 3: Sport Management. 
•    Functions of Sport Psychologist. Previous ideas. 
•    Motivation and dealing with stress. 
•    Definition of Leadership. Differences between a Leader and a Boss.
•    Transformational Leadership.
•    Differences between group and single sports
•    Techniques to apply regarding different kinds of sports (Taping Test, Sociogram,...)
•    Practicum: Test Touluse Pieron

MODULE 4: Managing Sports Organizations and Business functions applied to Sports.
•    Priorities in Sports Organizations.
•    Looking for resources and partners.
•    European Model of Sports vs American Model of Sport.
•    Funding and rentability of sports.
•    Managers and talent management. 
•    Marketing 
•    Image Rights 
•    Merchandising
•    Sponsorship.
•    Sports events
•    Sports and tourism.
•    Practicum: What sporting event would you organize in your city? How would you do it?

MODULE 5: Sports and Technology.
•    How is technology changing sports? What is the next step?
•    Biofeedback. Learning to understand our body. 
•    Professional Video-gaming:
•    Are they here to stay?
•    Working in an E-Sports organization. 
•    Managing teams, events and structures in E-Sports.
•    Practicum: The case of use →  G2 International.

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IV. Bibliography:
      Beech, John & Chadwick, Simon (2004), The Business of Sport Management.  Prentice Hall, Harlow.  

Complementary bibliography:
Per module you will receive aprox. 3 mandatory and 6 optional readings (articles), all to be downloaded from the internet and we will refer you to do critical reviews of some news stories.

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V.I. How to succeed in this course? 
Study for this course every day. We will be covering a lot of material and moving quickly. Become an active learner. Participation and meaningful interaction with the professor and peers is as essential to the course as much as writing the assigned paper and taking the exam. 

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VI. Grading scale:
Final grades will be calculated according to the following scale:

Matrícula de Honor =10
Sobresaliente = 9 – 9,9
Notable = 7 – 8,9 
Aprobado = 5 – 6,9
Suspenso = 0 – 4,9
No presentado = Student attended class but did not complete the exams
No asistencia = Student exceeded the maximum number of allowed absences

Please find as a reference the following grading scale conversion. However, it is ultimately the responsibility of the student’s home university or institution to determine the final grade equivalencies. 
Matrícula de Honor = A+                                        
Sobresaliente = A                                                    
Notable = B                                                             
Aprobado =C    
Suspenso = F     
No presentado = Incomplete (attended classes but did not take the final exam)
No Asistencia = Incomplete (enrolled in the course but did not attend class)

Grade dispute: 
The deadline for claiming grades is 30 days from the receipt of the certificate at the university of origin.

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VII. Course Policies

VII.I. Attendance: 
Class attendance is mandatory and is taken every class day and it is reflected in the course attendance sheet.
An 85% attendance rate is required for the successful completion of the course. Perfect attendance will be taken positively into account in the participation section. 
If a student exceeds this limit, 1 point will be taken off of the final grade (Spanish grade). Reaching a 20% of unexcused absences means that the transcript for this subject will show “not attended course”. 
Excused absences: Medical Certificates that will be considered only if issued by a physician (not notes from the family explaining the student’s absence). The certificates must include the exact dates for which a student should be excused for having missed classes. Courses cannot be audited, so attendance is possible only for students enrolled in a specific class. 
Punctuality: Students are expected to arrive on time to class and to return directly to class after class breaks. Arriving 10 minutes late (or more) and/or early class departures are considered unexcused absences and will be taken into account as half an absence. 

Attending class is not only the presence in the classroom. The professor will encourage active participation in the course and it will be taken into account as part of the evaluation.  

Auditors: Courses cannot be taken as auditors, thus attendance is possible only for students enrolled in a specific class.

VII.II. Conduct in class.
Students who actively participate in classroom activities and who maintain a professional and respectful attitude will be evaluated positively. Students must not eat or use laptops during the class (unless specifically authorized by the teacher).  

VII.III. Late work. 
One half point will be taken off (from the learning activities grade) for homework that is submitted late repeatedly. Late assignments will be corrected but will not be graded. 
Missing a class does not release the student from completing the homework assigned or studying the topics covered in class that day. 

VII.IV. Make-up exams:
If a student cannot be present for an examination for a valid reason (see V.II.) and approved by the teacher and academic direction, a make-up exam will be given. 

VII.V. Quizzes retention:
After quizzes are graded, the professor will review the examination with the class and collect all exams. The quizzes will be retained for one semester following the current one, and then they will be destroyed. 

VII.VI. Academic Honesty:
Students are expected to act in accordance with their university standards of conduct concerning plagiarism and academic dishonesty. 

VII.VII. Special accommodations: 
Students with special needs who require reasonable accommodations, special assistance or specific aid in this course (either for properly making-up classes, taking exams, etc.) should direct their request to Academic Coordination during the first days of the course in the case that they did not report it when submitting the Health Form. 

Teaching staff is required to report any disclosures harassment or violence of any kind.