The Effect of Entrepreneurial Competencies on Innovation: A Case Study of Professional Sport Clubs

The aim of the present research is to evaluate the effect of entrepreneurial competencies on innovation in professional sport clubs. In a regression analysis, this paper uses a descriptive correlational field method. The statistical sample population of this research includes the staff and employees from five selected sport clubs, namely: Esteghlal, Perspolis, Naaft-e-Tehran, Sepahan and ZobAhan of Isfahan. For data collection, a standard questionnaire with 65 items was used to evaluate eight competencies: strategic, conceptual, opportunity, relationship, learning, personal, ethical, familyism; and three dimensions of innovation in goods/services, the process and execution. The validity through the convergent validity (AVE=0.56 and 0.84 respectively) and the reliability (0.95 and α=0.93; 0.91 and CR=0.95 respectively) were confirmed and were randomly distributed among the statistical sample population. The Smart PLS 2 software and the structural equations modeling (SEM) techniques were used. The obtained results of this research indicate that the there is a positive and significant relationship between the entrepreneurial competencies and innovation (t=13/14 and T-value >1/96). Moreover, there is a positive and significant relationship between all the variables of competencies (i.e. strategic, conceptual, opportunity, relationship, learning, personal, ethical, and familyism) and innovation. The 77% innovative change as fostered by entrepreneurial competencies is indicative of a strong impact of the entrepreneurial competencies on innovation & performance of enterprises. Contribution of this paper is measuring these competencies on innovation of professional sport clubs.