University of Mohaghegh Ardabili Research in Sport Management and Marketing 2783-2392 7 2 2026 04 01 Identifying the Factors Influencing the Development of Athletics in Iraq 1 19 4329 10.22098/rsmm.2025.18927.1524 EN Murtadha Abdalabas Diri Alasadi Ph.D. Student of Sport Management, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran Abbas Naghizadeh-Baghi Professor of Sport Management, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili. Ardabil, Iran Nasrin Azizian Kohan Professor of Sport Management, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili. Ardabil, Iran Journal Article 2025 11 29 Purpose: Athletics, as one of the most fundamental disciplines in sport, plays a significant role in promoting public health, identifying and nurturing talent, and enhancing countries’ international standing. Nevertheless, the development of this sport in Iraq faces various challenges. The purpose of the present study was to identify the factors influencing the development of athletics in Iraq.Method: This research employed a qualitative approach, using qualitative content analysis and thematic analysis techniques. Participants included coaches, federation officials, and university faculty members who were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and theoretical saturation was achieved after conducting 20 interviews. To ensure the trustworthiness of the study, criteria such as credibility, transferability, confirmability, and test–retest reliability were applied.Results: The data analysis process yielded 82 open codes, which were subsequently organized into 17 sub-themes and ultimately classified into seven overarching themes. These major themes included: managerial and organizational structure factors; financial and economic factors; infrastructural and technical factors; human resources and training factors; support and talent identification factors; cultural and social factors; and environmental and demographic factors.Conclusion: The findings indicated that each of these factors can play a decisive role in either advancing or constraining the development of athletics in Iraq. Accordingly, it is recommended that sport policymakers adopt strategies such as restructuring managerial systems, improving financial provision mechanisms, investing in infrastructure, strengthening talent identification systems, and promoting the culture of fundamental sports to facilitate the sustainable development of athletics in Iraq.

https://rsmm.uma.ac.ir/article_4329_6ace5f4d0eeb508ad3e52b5d17170968.pdf

University of Mohaghegh Ardabili Research in Sport Management and Marketing 2783-2392 7 2 2026 04 01 Explaining the factors affecting the implementation of research and development strategies in sports 20 42 3822 10.22098/rsmm.2025.15753.1407 EN Mahdi Goudarzi Assistant Professor of Sport Management, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran 0000-0003-3465-526X Sevda Abdolahi MA of Sport Management, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran Majid Shahi Ganzagh BA of Education, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran Journal Article 2024 08 31 Purpose: In the process of creating competitive advantages, formulation of research and development strategies plays a very important role. Therefore, the current research was conducted with the aim of explaining the effective factors on the implementation of research and development strategies in sports. Methods: According to its main purpose, this research is among applied researches, and qualitative method with exploratory approach and database method were used to collect its data. The validity of this research was examined and confirmed by the interviewees and then expert professors. Reliability was also obtained using the intra-subject agreement method of 0.91. SPSS software was used for inferential statistical tests and PLS software was used for confirmatory factor analysis and path analysis. By conducting in-depth and semi-structured interviews with 14 key strategic management experts who were selected using the snowball sampling method, 77 primary concepts were collected during the recoding process, and from them 10 major categories and 21 secondary concepts. extracted. Results: In the central coding stage, the link between these categories under the headings of causal conditions including organizational readiness and organizational behavior; background conditions including organizational capital and recognition of changes; Intervening conditions including strategic thinking and structural factors; Strategies included technological research and support, and outcomes included financial function and organizational function. Conclusion: Based on the findings, it is concluded that the main task of research and development in sports is to provide the required knowledge with the least cost and the most benefit, and by improving the state of research and development, the level of service production increases and the costs decrease, therefore, to implement research and development strategies in Exercise should be fully focused on the identified factors.

https://rsmm.uma.ac.ir/article_3822_1565cc389620ea671b26cb4e30a3ef28.pdf

University of Mohaghegh Ardabili Research in Sport Management and Marketing 2783-2392 7 2 2026 04 01 Data Envelopment Analysis Usage to Measuring Relative Efficiency of Physical Education Departments 43 57 4325 10.22098/rsmm.2025.16166.1427 EN Sara Hasseli Mofrad M.Sc of Sport Managemrnt, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran Maryam Mokhtari Dinani Associate Professor of Sport Managemrnt, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran Abbas Rezaei Pandari Ph.D. of Management, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran 0000-0001-9534-3441 Journal Article 2024 11 10 Purpose: Despite significant advances in the design of performance appraisal frameworks and systems in recent years, many organizations still rely on traditional metrics. The present study aimed to measure the relative efficiency of physical education departments of Ministry of Education in Tehran through a Data Envelopment Analysis approach. Method: In addition to identifying and determining the input and output indices of regions, an appropriate model of Data Envelopment Analysis was presented to evaluate their performance, as well as ranking efficient and inefficient regions and units and providing solutions to improve inefficient regions. Input indicators were the ratio of student to physical education teacher, the budget of physical education department, the number and surface area of sports halls at the disposal of the department, and output indicators included the number of sports competitions held by the department, provincial and national trophies won in competitions as well as national and international athlete students of each region. After designing the research model and collecting the data, BCC, CCR and Anderson-Peterson output- and input-oriented models were analyzed using DEA-SOLVER LV software. Results: Based on the results, the highest, lowest and average indices of inputs and outputs obtained. The results showed that 11 out of 19 regions under study in 2017 were efficient and 8 were inefficient. Conclusion: It is necessary that the degree of changes needed to make efficient the inefficient units be determined by modeling the efficient departments. The results of this study provide useful insights for the development of sports service improvement policies in Physical Education Departments of Ministry of Education in Tehran.

https://rsmm.uma.ac.ir/article_4325_1854e17a99093c3f8fb84779f4a1da46.pdf

University of Mohaghegh Ardabili Research in Sport Management and Marketing 2783-2392 7 2 2026 04 01 The Future of Crisis Management in Iran's Professional Football: a Multi-Faceted Scenario Planning 58 76 4057 10.22098/rsmm.2024.14710.1327 EN Mehran Seirafian Baboldashti Ph.D. Student of Sport Management Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran Rasool Nazari Associate Professor of Sport Management, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch ,Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran Qasem Rahimi Sarshabadrani Assistant Professor of Sport Management, Isfahan Branch (Khorasgan), Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran Journal Article 2024 02 19 Purpose: Before the crisis, there is an opportunity to prevent some serious damage by predicting and managing possible crises. The absence of crisis management scenarios and conscious prediction of crises in Iran's professional football is visible. Therefore, the aim of this study is to present crisis management scenarios in Iranian professional football. Methods: This research is a qualitative research from the point of view of the career goal and the perspective of the prospective research. In this study, the analytical approach and the final processing of the findings using the analysis of trends and uncertainties and the integrated scenario planning model have been used. The participants of the present analytical and exploratory study included 29 domestic and foreign stakeholders of Iranian professional football who were selected based on purposeful sampling. Data was collected through interviews and open questionnaires. Data analysis was done with the six-step model of combined scenario planning of Lipzig and Rollandberger. Results: The findings and analysis of the 35 main factors obtained led to the production of 13 key uncertainties and 8 desirable, probable, possible and believable scenarios for the future of crisis management in Iranian professional football. Conclusion: In the end, the strategy of "technology as a solution to change the behavioral pattern of fans during social and economic crises" was introduced as the main crisis management strategy in Iran's professional football in the future.

https://rsmm.uma.ac.ir/article_4057_5e737e9358de3c514ef68e3cbff388db.pdf

University of Mohaghegh Ardabili Research in Sport Management and Marketing 2783-2392 7 2 2026 04 01 Why Do We Follow Inauthentic Sports Influencers on Social Media? A Comprehensive Phenomenological Study 77 92 4006 10.22098/rsmm.2025.17310.1471 EN Majid Javid Assistant Professor of Sport Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran Elham Asadian MSc of Sport Management, Ard.c Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, Iran Samad Goodarzi Ph.D. of Sport Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran Seyede Zeinab Gharouni Nik MSc of Sport Management, College of Farabi, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran Journal Article 2025 04 28 Purpose: This study investigates the underlying factors driving individuals to follow inauthentic sports influencers on social media, employing a phenomenological approach to uncover the motivations and perceptions of followers. Methods: Given the novelty of the research topic and the absence of comprehensive prior studies, a qualitative methodology was adopted. Participants consisted of active followers of inauthentic sports influencers, selected through purposive and snowball sampling. Data were collected via in-depth, unstructured interviews until theoretical saturation was reached (n=17). Thematic analysis was conducted using NVivo 12 Plus, involving iterative coding, categorization, and conceptual mapping of the data. Results: Analysis yielded 295 initial codes, refined into 210 unique concepts and further consolidated into 84 distinct themes. These were organized into nine key factors influencing follower engagement: lifestyle portrayal, physical appearance, content production strategies, consistent social media activity, psychological and social drivers, innovative advertising techniques, perceived service benefits, influencer commitment and responsibility, and visual content quality. Conclusion: The findings highlight the multifaceted appeal of inauthentic sports influencers, emphasizing the need for stricter content regulations to curb misinformation. Additionally, public awareness campaigns should stress that athletic success and health are rooted in scientific knowledge, training discipline, and movement literacy not merely physical attractiveness. This study contributes to the emerging discourse on digital influencer authenticity and audience behavior in sports media.

https://rsmm.uma.ac.ir/article_4006_1323cddd6875964da8b7ac8e21d6e9fa.pdf

University of Mohaghegh Ardabili Research in Sport Management and Marketing 2783-2392 7 2 2026 04 01 The Role of Cultural Management in Dealing with Ethnic Inequality in School Sports: A Study of Iranian Physical Education Teachers 93 104 3804 10.22098/rsmm.2023.13557.1268 EN Atefeh Khodabakhshi Ph.D. Student of Sport Management, Gorgan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Gorgan, Iran Zain Al-Abidin Fallah Associate Professor of Sport Management, Gorgan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Gorgan, Iran Amir Montazeri Assistant Professor of Sport Management, University of Neyshabur, Neyshabur, Iran Taher Bahlakeh Assistant Professor of Sport Management, Gorgan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Gorgan, Iran Journal Article 2023 08 24 Purpose: This research aims to investigate the role of multicultural management in dealing with ethnic inequality in school sports. Methods: The research method was descriptive-correlation. The statistical population of this study included all the physical education teachers in Iran in the academic year 2022-2023 (N=34000). 400 questionnaires were distributed and then, after collecting and removing distorted or incomplete questionnaires, 322 were analyzed as a statistical sample. The items and dimensions of the multicultural management questionnaire of Khodabakhshi et al. (2023) were used after verifying the face, content, and structure validity to measure the research variables. Multiple regression analysis was used in a stepwise method to examine and analyze the relationship between predictor and criterion variables. Results: The results showed a positive and significant relationship between the dimensions of cultural management of school sports and dealing with Ethnic inequality, and the regression analysis test was also significant (F(3, 96)=82.06, P=.001; R2=.719). Conclusion: Therefore, the implementation of multicultural educational programs, the training of multicultural managers and teachers, attention to the behavioral problems of ethnic minority students, and the creation of multicultural spaces (e.g. Schedule regular meetings to discuss and plan multicultural events and initiatives, Organize cultural awareness workshops, where students can share aspects of their heritage, traditions, and customs.) in schools are suggested as solutions.

https://rsmm.uma.ac.ir/article_3804_3c4d4694067d8a8336b02677b8c07553.pdf

University of Mohaghegh Ardabili Research in Sport Management and Marketing 2783-2392 7 2 2026 04 01 Formulation of the Marketing Development Model of Sports Associations: A Case Study of Martial Sports Associationss 105 118 4357 10.22098/rsmm.2026.15661.1397 EN Mohsen Ahmadi Ph.D. Student of Sports Management, Damghan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Damghan, Iran Nematolla Nemati Associate Professor of Sport Managemrnt, Damghan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Damghan, Iran Tahere Bagherpour Assistant Professor of Sport Physiology, Damghan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Damghan, Iran Journal Article 2024 08 16 Purpose: All organizations must adopt marketing-based approaches to survive and develop in line with today's global developments. This research was conducted to formulate the marketing development model of sports associations and with a case study of martial sports associations. Method: The research method was a descriptive survey. The statistical population of the research included experts related to the subject. For sampling in the qualitative part, the purposeful sampling method and the snowball technique and in the quantitative part, the random sampling method, and to determine the minimum sample size, Morgan's table was used, and according to the unknown number of the research population, the minimum number of samples 384 people were considered. Study and investigate the objectives of the research. A semi-structured, in-depth interview and the Delphi method were used in the qualitative part to identify the influential factors. In the quantitative part, a questionnaire made by the researcher from the qualitative part was used to determine the significant factors in the development of the marketing of the martial arts federation (association). valuate martial sports. Results: The results showed 12 factors, including managerial and planning factors, improving processes, Creativity, attention to intangible assets, advertising and media, attention to customers, advances, cultural values, marketing techniques, and Manpower. There are the private sector and supporters, and finally, structural factors as influential factors in developing martial arts federation marketing (military sports associations). Conclusion: Finally, using the research results to create marketing for martial sports associations is suggested.

https://rsmm.uma.ac.ir/article_4357_f0c465353dadeb0ab4aea9d63cc947f6.pdf

University of Mohaghegh Ardabili Research in Sport Management and Marketing 2783-2392 7 2 2026 04 01 Design and Development of Strategic Plan to Develop Shooting Sports in Iraq 119 127 4358 10.22098/rsmm.2024.15114.1359 EN Riyadh Jawad Allawi Al-Awani Ph.D, Student of Sport Management, Mazandaran University, Babolsar, Iran Seyed Mohammad Hossein Razavi Professor of Sport Management Mazandaran University, Babolsar, Iran Saeed Amirnejad Assistant Professor of Sport Management, Iran University of Art, Tehran, Iran 0000-0003-3564-0481 Journal Article 2024 05 22 Purpose: Having a detailed plan is essential for achieving success and reaching desired outcomes in any organization, so the purpose of this research was to develop a strategic plan for the development of shooting sports in Iraq. Methods: The method of this descriptive-analytical research was carried out both quantitatively and qualitatively (mixed method). The statistical population of the research in the qualitative part was made of up experts, specialists, informants and knowledgeable population about shooting sports in Iraq and university informants in the field of sports management. The required information was gathered during interviews with 15 people were selected based on the Judgmental–snowball sampling method; Also, the statistical population in the quantitative section included the beneficiaries and the main audience of shooting sports in Iraq, 90 people were selected based on the full number method. For data analysis the Semi-structured interview method was used to the qualitative part and the SWOT analysis matrix and AHP were used for the quantitative part. Results: According to the findings, 10 items were identified for each strength, 10 weaknesses, 10 opportunities, and 10 threats. Also, the final score of the evaluation matrix of internal and external factors determined that the strategic position in the factors of internal and external matrix of four choices is located in the offensive area (SO). Conclusion: Therefore, the strategic plan proposed by this research emphasizes the importance of internal capacity building through the modernization of infrastructure, the adoption of technology in education and the increase of administrative competencies.

https://rsmm.uma.ac.ir/article_4358_461f0ca56de943923a1b9a880901d703.pdf

University of Mohaghegh Ardabili Research in Sport Management and Marketing 2783-2392 7 2 2026 04 01 Meta-Analysis of Studies on Factors Affecting the Occurrence of Corruption in Iranian Football 128 144 4220 10.22098/rsmm.2025.15711.1403 EN Arezoo Azadbakht Ph.D Student of Sport Management, Islamic Azad University, Borujerd, Iran Mohammadreza Esmaeili Associate Professor of Sport Management, Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran Mohammad Nasiri Assistant Professor of Sport Management, Khoy Branch, Islamic Azad University, Khoy, Iran Journal Article 2024 08 24 Purpose: The present research was conducted with the aim of meta-analysis of factors affecting the occurrence of corruption in Iranian football. Method: The research method was meta-analysis. 19 studies that met the criteria for entering the meta-analysis were selected as research samples through the census method in the period of 2012 to 2023 in the corruption in Iranian football. Data analysis was performed using CMA3 and SPSS software. Results: A number of 69 factors were extracted from the research sample and categorized into five main categories of economic status, organizational and rules and regulations, cultural characteristics, individual characteristics and other factors and were included in the meta-analysis process. Hedges g index was used to calculate the effect size. Due to the existence of heterogeneity in the meta-analysis (p<0.001, Q=68, df=4238/62), the results of the random effects model were considered. The average combined effect size in the random effects model for effective factors in causing corruption in sports was equal to 0.83, which is significant at the 0.001 level and is considered a large effect size according to Cohen's classification. Finally, the meta-analysis results for subgroups showed that economic factors and organizational factors have the greatest effect on the occurrence of corruption in Iranian football with an effect size of 1.72 and 1.45. Conclusion: this meta-analysis has provided valuable insights into the key factors driving corruption in Iranian football, with economic challenges and organizational weaknesses identified as the most significant contributors. Keywords: corruption, Iranian football, meta-analysis

https://rsmm.uma.ac.ir/article_4220_50e18d27a7ad0f06904357747b0aa179.pdf