Action research with parkrun UK volunteer organizers to develop inclusive strategies

This article addresses the challenge of promoting physical activity through a focus on equity and engaging physically inactive citizens through the development of inclusive strategies within parkrun UK-a free, volunteer-led, weekly mass community participation running event. We discuss how a UK-based action research design enabled collaboration with volunteer event organizers to understand participant experiences, constraints and develop localized inclusive practices. In contrast with 'expert'-driven health behaviour interventions, our research pursued a 'ground up' approach by asking what can be learnt from the successes and challenges of organizing community events, such as parkrun UK, to promote inclusion? A modified participatory action research approach was used with four parkrun sites across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, that involved quantitative and qualitative analysis of survey data (n = 655) that informed the process. Our analysis explored parkrunners' and volunteer organizers' perceptions relating to (i) the demographics of parkrun participation and (ii) actions for change in relation to the challenges of engaging marginalized groups (women, ethnic minorities, low income, older people, those with disabilities or illness). We discuss the challenges and opportunities for addressing (in)equity and inclusion through volunteer-based organizations and the implications for translating knowledge into organizational strategies.

Copa America: a resource-based theory of football talent

Purpose

Guided by the resource-based theory, the purpose of this study was to predict the role of football talent in the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) rankings of the men’s national football teams in the Copa America zone.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used archival data of Copa American national football teams. The dependent variable was FIFA rankings, and the independent variables were football talent (measured by the stocks of amateur footballers, professional footballers and football officials). Statistical analysis was performed using Kendall tau statistic and binary logistic regression.

Findings

The binary logistic regression results indicated that FIFA rankings were statistically and significantly associated with the stock of football officials and professional footballers – but not amateur footballers. The predictive model explained 80 per cent of the variance.

Research limitations/implications

The study focused exclusively on the stock of football talent in each nation, and not alternative determinants of national football team competitiveness as economic power and quality of professional football leagues, among others.

Practical implications

The stocks of professional footballers and football officials are valuable sources of competitive advantage (CA) in national football team rankings.

Originality/value

The study highlighted the uniqueness and distinctiveness of a nation possessing large stocks of professional footballers which can boost the CA and rankings of Copa American national football teams.

Gold Cup: human resources as sources of competitive advantage and superior performance

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to evaluate the association between human resources and qualification for the 2017 Gold Cup, and second, to examine if human resources could predict qualification for the 2017 Gold Cup.

Design/methodology/approach

Guided by four competitive advantage (CA) theories related to the human resources, the study utilized archival data of 35 male Gold Cup national football teams. The dependent variable was qualifications for 2017 Gold Cup and the independent variables were football-specific human capital measured by ranked number of football amateurs, professionals and officials. Statistical analysis was performed using Kendell τ statistic and binary logistic regression (BLR).

Findings

Qualification for the Gold Cup tournament and all human resources were positively and statistically associated (officials (0.493, p<0.01), amateurs (0.464, p<0.01) and professionals (0.624, p<0.01)), and BLR model (Negelkerke R2) explained 55.8 percent of the variance of human resources.

Research limitations/implications

The research focused exclusively on football-specific human capital and not alternative sources of CA such as economy power, political stability and/or national football popularity amongst others.

Practical implications

Human resources are a valuable source of CA which requires long-term strategy geared toward training, development and promotion of talent. Superior football team performance is directly proportional to talented players.

Originality/value

The study was unique in two ways. First, it made clear the positive significance of human resources as a source of CA. Second, it highlighted the distinction between professional and amateur footballers – a factor uncommon in similar studies.