Search

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of imagined contact within the sport setting as a way of reducing Korean's intergroup anxiety and prejudice expressed toward Japanese individuals. As an important extension of the imagined contact work, the authors also considered the potential moderating effects of team identification. A total of 210 Korean undergraduate students took part in the experiment. Participants in the experimental group (n = 98) were asked to have imagined a pleasant contact with a Japanese pitcher for two minutes. Those in the control group (n = 112) were asked to have imagined a positive contact with a stranger for two minutes. Results indicate that even highly identified fans do not decrease their anxiety level towards Japanese individual after the mental simulation. In contrast, lowly identified fans experienced a decrease in their intergroup anxiety level. Finally, intergroup anxiety was associated with prejudice, particularly for highly identified fans. The results are discussed in terms of practical and theoretical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on interpretations of diversity-related signals in sport organizations by individuals. It explores the influence of applicant race, organization reputation and signaling in employee recruitment and retention. It also suggests that corporate history of diversity and inclusion improve organization processes and outcomes.

The article looks at the problem of racism and ways to reduce racism. The authors say that the best known of these approaches is the so-called Allport's contact hypotheses. They say that unlike the majority of other contact situations, sports and physical activity are characterized by shared sacrifices, communal commitment to excellence and sense of common fate that brings participants together thereby bridging the racial gap that exist in so many other situations.

The article studies people's perceptions of organizations with lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT)-inclusive policies. Using signaling and social dominance theories in sport and non-sport contexts, the study interviewed 120 undergraduate students from a liberal Washington, D.C. and a conservative Southwest university. LGBT-inclusiveness signals enhance organizational attractiveness except for people with high social dominance orientation (SDO), or dominance-related concerns.

The article discusses the results of a study focusing on people's attitude toward joining a fitness club. The study findings are in congruence with signaling theory such that people's perceptions of the organization, which in this case was their perceived fit with the fitness club were based on external communications with that club. This finding is also in agreement with other research in this area.

The article focuses on organizational culture and its potential impact on leadership stereotypes within sport organizations. In particular, it examines the effects of organizational culture and leader sex on leadership prototypicality and leadership effectiveness within the context of social identity theory. Results confirm that both culture and prototypicality predicted effectiveness. It concludes that the results extended the literature related to the benefits of a diverse workplace culture and have potential implications for sport managers.

The article examines the relationships between diversity, the attraction of a diverse fan base, and the total revenues generated in the context of athletic departments within the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Results showed the positive association of racial and gender diversity to the attraction of a diverse fan base. Findings supported the hypothesis that the attraction of a diverse fan base has a positive relation with total revenues generated by the department. The paper discusses the contributions and implications of the study.

The article focuses on the role of an extended intergroup contact on eliminating cultural obstacles in sport management study abroad programs. The study was made to assess ways for foreign student-athletes to adapt to the U.S. culture in a U.S. college or university. Respondents of this research were given questionnaires to answer questions concerning intergroup friendships, cross-cultural anxiety, and out-group assessments. The study concludes that intergroup contact theory can guide foreign students to seek equality within their American counterparts.

The article discusses the effect of diversity in the team composition to the team's performance including assists amongst National Hockey League (NHL) teams. Diversity means the differences in group member characteristics such as age, gender, ethnicity, race and tenure, which is used by group members in the categorization process. It shows that some forms of diversity, such as ethnic diversity, can adversely affect the team's performance.

The article presents a study which seeks to examine the racial differences among U.S. students in deciding to establish a career in the sport and leisure industry. The authors used the social cognitive career theory as the framework for discussing such differences. A comparison between students at Primarily White Institutions (PWIs) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) is provided. The authors advise sport management educators to focus on motivating and preparing students in establishing careers in the sector.