Sport as a Business

HARALD DOLLES is visiting professor in International Business at the School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. He received his doctorate in international business/strategic management from the University Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany, with a focus on East Asia. He frequently contributes to scientific development in the fields of international business; sports management; entrepreneurship and innovation; IHRM and Asian studies. STEN SÖDERMAN is visiting professor at the University of Luxembourg and a professor at Stockholm University, Sweden. He received his doctorate, in location strategies of industries, from Stockholm University. Sweden. He frequently contributes to scientific development in the fields of international business, sports management, entrepreneurship and innovation.

INTRODUCTION Sport as Business: International, Professional and Commercial Aspects; H.Dolles & S.Söderman PART I: SPORT CONSUMERS PERSPECTIVE 'As American as mom, apple pie and Dutch soccer?' The team identification of foreign Ajax F.C. supporters; A.K.Kerr , N.F.Smith & A.Anderson Decision-making styles in purchasing sport products: An international comparison between American and Korean college students; S.Bae Travel time elasticities in recreational sports: Empirical findings for the professionalization in sports facility management; T.Pawlowski , C.Breuer & P.Wicker PART II: SPORT EVENTS AND SPORT FACILITIES Perceptions of the impacts of major commercial sport event; C.Auld , K.M.Lloyd & J.Rieck Gender, race, and nationality: An examination of print media coverage of the 2006 Winter Olympics; A.N.Eagleman & E.L.McNary Valorisation of sports facilities: A representation of the global value; B.Augé , A.Pedenon & A.Vernhet PART III: SPORT ORGANIZATIONS AND GOVERNANCE Sports organizations, professionalisation and organizational conflict: A review of the literature; J.Schulz International and professional dimensions of National Governing Bodies: Insights from the Gaelic Athletic Association; A.Bourke The role of the central broker and its influence on effectiveness in an intentionally created sports professionalisation network; S.Martin , M.Benson-Rea & N.Palakshappa Business ecosystem co-evolution: The Ultimate Fighting Championships; S.Ford & C.Kerr Learning from failure: Is Major League Soccer repeating the mistakes of the North American Soccer League?; J.D.Francis Learning from success: Implementing a professional football league in Japan; H.Dolles & S.Söderman