Title: A social perspective of sports-based entrepreneurship

Authors: Vanessa Ratten

Addresses: Palumbo Donahue School of Business Duquesne University, 464 Rockwell Hall, 600 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, USA

Abstract: In this paper I develop the concept of sport-based entrepreneurship and argue that it provides a potential social orientated strategy for the development of sports-related businesses. I maintain that this emerging form of entrepreneurship is usually inherent in the management of sports, which transforms sport-based organisations into an entrepreneur and enterprise. This paper draws on interdisciplinary approaches from the entrepreneurship and sport management literature to discuss the social entrepreneurship inherent within sports-based organisations. The sport sector provides an exploration of the contextual boundaries of social entrepreneurship and provides a useful discussion on the innovation, risk taking and proactive activity. The implications for sport organisations involved in social entrepreneurship are stated and the importance of governments around the world to promote social entrepreneurship in sport are highlighted. In addition, suggestions for future research are stated that highlight the role of sport-based entrepreneurship theory for examining social change.

Keywords: sport management; sport-based entrepreneurship; innovation; social entrepreneurship; small business; risk taking; proactive activity; social change.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2011.039010

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2011 Vol.12 No.3, pp.314 - 326

Published online: 11 Oct 2014 *

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