Subject: Sport Science
Topic: Sport Science. An Economic Analysis of coaching performance indicators and improvements on Sport Science.
1.1.1
Introduction
Sport Science has witnessed considerable research within the last two decades. There has been an increasing amount of activity in the field of coaching science research (Gilbert & Trudel, 2004, Hagemann, Strauss & Busch 2007). Today, most studies focusing on sport science research have tended to be tilted in the direction of behavior during practice sessions, only a few have examined the behavior of coaches during actual competitions (Smith & Cushion, 2006), even though Hagemann, Strauss & Busch (2007) argue that this is the setting requiring their best performance, particularly in sports permitting a lot of intervention options during a match. Such sports confront coaches with a variety of problems that make major demands on their processing of information (Hagemann, Strauss & Busch 2007).
The sports performance, coaching and motivation literature have focused on reasons why people, particularly children, engage in sport or discontinue their participation (Marquez et al 2006). A simple description of coaching outcome or performance, however, will not necessarily provide information about how coaching affects the sporting outcome of sport science. The moderate use of praise in competitions by top-league coaches also points to an effective coaching behavior. Nonetheless, this contrasts with successful youth soccer coaches who reveal a relation of praise to effective performance (Miller, 1992). This would suggest that motivation strategies may well depend on different team components such as age, performance level, type of sport, or gender or the coach in question.
Stoeber et al., (2007) argue that, perfectionism is a maladaptive factor in sport and that it is related to a preoccupation with performance goals and a neglect of mastery goals, the present article argues that perfectionism in athletes is not generally maladaptive, but shows differential relationships with mastery and performance goals depending on which facets of perfectionism are regarded (Stoebel et al., 2007:2).
1.1.2 Background to Problem Statement and Research Questions
Many researchers, researching on sport science have focused attention on the physical and medical aspect of the activities. Sagovits et al., (2007), examined the contribution of motivational climate created by mothers, coaches, and best friends in the explanation of variance of athletes' achievement goals, sport satisfaction and academic performance. The researchers came to the conclusion that, mastery oriented climates should be established in sport, family, and peer contexts because all social contexts seem responsible for the formation of athletes' achievement goals, emotions, and behaviours.
Otto et al., (2007) shifted attention and focused their research on perfectionism and achievement goals in athletes. The researchers found and came to the conclusion that, striving for perfection to be positively related to mastery and performance-approach goals, whereas negative reactions to imperfection were positively related to performance-approach and performance-avoidance goals and inversely to mastery goals. The researchers further argued that, perfectionism in athletes is not generally maladaptive, but shows differential relationships with mastery and performance goals depending on which facets of perfectionism are regarded.
Coaching directors and sports administrators are engaged with coaching development at all levels. Kendall & Williams (2007) argued that, an elite coach is concerned primarily with sports performance, whereas a sports science researcher is focused on increasing sports science knowledge (both applied and theoretical), based on sound research questions (Kendall & Williams 2007:5).
Research on sport science are essentially focused on the role of service the providers to the coaches (Kendall & Williams). Kendall & Williams further argued that attention has been focused on elite sports programs, and so the interaction between these two groups ought to be one of interdependency. Research at an institute of sport tends to be linked more closely to the needs of coaches than do research projects undertaken by universities, and the relationship between coaches and sports scientists may influence the way that research is conducted (Kendall & Williams 2007:2).
Against this background, the main research question will be “To find out and analyse what role do coaches and effective coaching have on sport team performance within the field of sport science?
Secondly, I will probe into, what are the various strategies used by successful coaches to improve on the team performance.
1.1.3 Objectives of Study.
Over the years, sport science has mainly been viewed by coaches as inaccessible, too technical, or in many cases, non-applicable to the actual sport setting. With the renewed focus on prevention of injuries, on enhancing performance at the younger levels of competition, and on the extensive amount of time and financial commitment toward training and conditioning, taking a more comprehensive approach through science provides the coach, as well as the athlete, greater control, preparation, accountability and, most importantly, measurable progress. A handful of researchers ( e.g., Stoebel et al. 2007, Gilbert & Trudel, 2004 ) have argued that, through sport science, the merging of ‘science and sweat' will allow today's athletes to not only excel and compete at much higher levels, but minimize predisposition to injury and enhance career longevity.
Thus against this background, the main objective of this paper will be to analyse and evaluate the role of coaching in team performance in sport science. Other objective will be to evaluate the effectiveness of the various coaching methods in sport sciences. Using interviews self administered questionnaires coaches in the top performing United Kingdom Barclays Premiere league championship will be interviewed.
1.1.4 Hypothesis of studies
From the existing body of literature and rational behind coaching and sport sciences I will be able to test the hypothesis of the effective role of coaching on sport science:-
- How coaching performance indicators are reflected on the sport team
- Whether effective coaching has positive impact on individual team members and it contributing results on sport sciences.
1.1.5 Limitation and delimitation of studies
Here, I have considered limitation in relation to the natural explanations to which I have limited the study and the active choices to limit the study area.
In agency cost theory, it is argued that managers will always act in their selfish interest and will always exhibit this greedy attitude of theirs in all situations. However, this may not be true at the level of coaching. Performance outcome of coaching activities during the contract term of a coach greatly influence his subsequent and renewal of contract.
This research considers this as the starting point and is limited to the role of coaching on a team performance with respect to sport science. The result will be limited within United Kingdom where six coaches in the present best outstanding first division's team will be interviewed and their activities evaluated. It is important to mention here that the time frame and limited resources is also a limiting factor and consequently should not be under looked.
1.1.6 Significance of Research
Many coaches who work with endurance athletes still believe in old concepts that can no longer be considered correct. Prime amongst these are the understanding, or misunderstanding, of the concepts of maximal oxygen uptake (VO 2 max), lactate threshold, training heart rate, and dehydration and fluid requirements during prolonged exercise.
Today, with the renewed focus on prevention of injuries, on enhancing performance at the younger levels of competition, and on the extensive amount of time and financial commitment toward training and conditioning, taking a more comprehensive approach, sport science provides the coach, as well as the athlete, greater control, preparation, accountability and, most importantly, measurable progress. Thus doing a study like this within this dimension means it will be of great importance to other researchers, sport team management, coaches, policy makers and other interest group. Thus the important role of coaching on sport team performance will be highlighted and others can subsequently benefit through emulation. The forces underpinning effective coaching strategy will be analyse. This study will also assist management of sport team in effective decision making pertaining to coaching.
1.1.7 Research Structure
In this section, a brief summary is presented of what will be presented and discuss in the various sections after the research proper.
Chapter 2: Being the literature review and theoretical framework of the research, I will review existing theories and previous research on Coaching and sport science. I will also relate the importance of coaching in generating team spirit and the managerial goal in sport science, and finally, I will examine some subject related theory on people's behaviour in different situations with particular attention to coaching.
Chapter 3: Methodological chapter , in this chapter, I will present the methodology and choices I have been able to make and adopted in the course of the research, paying particular attention to our research purpose and objective. This is to give any reader an easy to follow step-by-step approach as the reader forges ahead. I will also present a discussion of the work process and motivations connected to the decisions and choices of ways during the research.
Chapter 4: In this section, information gathered from the six football teams during the interviews and visit will be presented based on the information gathered during the data collection exercise. Here I will start by presenting the general information about the six football teams from the case study, and brief information about the interviewees.
Chapter 5: In this section, I will make an analysis of the raw data from the empirical study based on the information gathered from the six football teams, interview administered and some secondary data presented to support the interview during the discussion.
Chapter 6: This chapter will be concerned with a discussion of the information presented in chapter four in light of our problem statement, and theoretical framework. That is, I will present the results of the findings.
Chapter 7: Being the concluding chapter, I will present a summary of the findings, managerial implications, conclusion and recommendation for further research so as to better exploit other areas of the subject. I will also be able to support validity and reliability of the work.
PART TWO
Literature Review and Theoretical Framework
2.0 Introduction
This chapter focus on relevant literature and previous research on sport science. To get the best out of the work, attention is focused on related peer review articles published in Science direct and Business source premier. With the Primary intention to give a proper theoretical framework for the research, in the review of related articles, I have also reviewed articles on the journal of science and medicines in sport. Thus, an overview of an on-going, international project designed to chart the developmental paths and activities of sport coaches' responsibilities and development will also be reviewed
I have also focused on some related peer review literature and arguments in support of business ethics. The chosen articles are interesting, thought provoking, instructive and providing meaningful literature inline with the research area. To minimise redundancy, my review of related literature does not include articles and text on the general aspect of sport science. Since the research is concerned with the role of coaching activities on sport team performance indicators, attention is being shifted to coaches and sporting football teams as selected in the sample.
Thus, most of the related literature is on articles dealing with the activities of coaches and the different motivational strategies used. From these materials, I have been able to formulate and support the research question. The chapter would also emphasize some of the difficulties in coaches coaching activitie
2.1 Overview of coaching activities
Otto et al (2007) postulate that, although in many sports athletes are expected to deliver perfect performances, perfectionism in athletes can be related to characteristics that may thwart performance. Regarding achievement goals, Flett and Hewitt propose that perfectionism is associated with a pervasive ego orientation, suggesting that perfectionists are preoccupied with performance goals and neglect mastery goals (Otto et al 2007:2). The researchers further echo that, perfectionists may focus on proving their ability and neglect improving their ability, which in the long run will have detrimental effects on their performance. However, perfectionism is multidimensional and multifaceted, and only some dimensions.
In contrast to the classic approach to achievement motivation, which focuses on motives and investigates differences in how strongly individuals are motivated and energized by their coaches? The contemporary approach to achievement motivation by coaches focuses on goals and investigates the different reasons why individuals are motivated to achieve (Elliot, 1997).
In this endeavor, researchers have looked at achievement goals using different frameworks adopting first a dichotomous, then a trichotomous, and finally a 2_2 framework (Elliot & Conroy, 2005). In the dichotomous framework, two achievement goal orientations were distinguished (Ames & Archer, 1987)
Individuals and coaches with a mastery goal orientation see achievement situations as opportunities to improve their ability. They focus on learning new skills or improving old ones and regard failures and mistakes as providing important information on how to improve. In contrast, coaches with a performance goal orientation tend to see achievement situations as opportunities to prove their ability. Their goal is to demonstrate their ability relative to others, to show what they have learned and, if possible, to outperform others (Maehr & Meyer, 1997). In the trichotomous framework a further distinction was introduced by differentiating approach and avoidance orientations in performance goals. Individuals with a performance-approach orientation are concerned with making a good impression (Elliott 1996) they want to demonstrate high ability relative to others. In contrast, individuals with a performance-avoidance orientation are concerned with avoiding making a bad impression: they do not want to perform worse than others. Thus, the trichotomous model differentiates between three kinds of goals: mastery, performance-approach, and performance-avoidance goals. Finally, in the 2_2 framework ( Pintrich, 2000), the distinction between approach and avoidance orientations was also applied to mastery goals. Individuals with an orientation towards mastery-approach goals aim to make the best of the situation and are confident of being able to do so, whereas individuals with an orientation towards mastery avoidance goals are afraid of not being able to master the task or not making the best of the Kendall & Williams (2007) have long argued that the extent to which coaches are influenced by and value sports science research ‘‘depends on the willingness of the coach to embrace research findings determined under conditions where sports performance has been artificially manipulated''. Coaches generally need solutions to problems of an immediate nature, as ‘‘coaches often want to solve a hundred problems at once, and often cannot clearly define the problem in scientific terms'
5.0 Coaching and Team Performance
Literature and the popular press have long heralded the potential gains from coaches and efficient coaching on sporting activities. Corresponding evidence from psychological research has lagged somewhat behind, but the contemporary focus of what is described as the positive psychology movement, has played a significant role in rectifying that situation (Gordon 2007, Kendall & Williams 2007).
Much of the relevant research in this area has focused on the impact of optimism on a wide variety of outcomes and behavior (Chang, 2001, Gordon 2007). This measurement technique asks respondents to supply an explanation for negative and/or positive events and then rate the explanation supplied on the following dimensions: locus, stability, and globality. The shifting focus from understanding and alleviating negative states to a focus on enhancing positive states and subjective well-being can be seen in the current trend toward research on the antecedents of optimism as opposed to the causes of depression (Chang 2001, Gordon 2007)
In the above study, the fact that Gordon (2007) found no significant relationships between athletic performance and the causes cited by athletes for positive outcomes is consistent with the belief that performance outcomes are more likely to be a function of how we respond to failure as opposed to being based on our explanations for success (Gordon 2007).
Peterson & Barrett, (1987), postulate that similar findings across other achievement domains (academic performance) have led to the development of attributional style measures that include only negative outcome items. In addition, the use of a domain specific measure of attributional style such as the Sport Attributional Style Scale developed by Hanrahan et al. (1989), might have provided more consistent outcomes across the two studies (Gordon 2007). A validation study by Hanrahan & Grove (1990) revealed that SASS responses were strongly related to performance outcome.
PART THREE
Research Methods and Design
3.0 Introduction
For the purpose of making the reader understand this work, I have tried to motivate and describe the paths I am to follow in order to give our work a long lasting and efficient contribution to the subject area. Primarily here, I am concerned with the various methods that will be used in conducting this research. By this, we have defined a path and pathway for the reader to follow. Thus proper evaluation of the entire work should be drawn from this chapter based on how the work will be planned, structured and conducted. I am also going to give a discussion of the methods used in collecting and analysing the data, ranging from the choice of subject, perspective, preconceptions, scientific ideal, and research methods.
3.1.1 Choice of Subject
At the dawn of the autumn semester of this year, and during the course “Research methods and Design”, we were made to understand during the orientation programme the need to start searching for a suitable research topic since this would be very necessary for us to complete the programme in time.
Going through previous research written within the department, I realised resources mastery and understanding of a research subject area is necessary for writing a good research paper. Thus, I spent the first two months in the autumn semester going through other work and research written within the department of business administration. One of the subject area for research that caught my interest as it, especially kept repeating itself during our first three modules was “sporting activities and health”. My initial findings during the search exercise in this field, made me to understand previous research in the subject area has been focused only on sporting team management, sport science and the owners of the company. Reviews of literature analysing and categorizing research have been carried out, but categories identified have been limited to research design and data gathering techniques. According to Kendall & Williams (2006:2), the most frequently used research method was experimental design, and the most frequently used data gathering technique was physiological (performance) measures. In addition, two-third of the research already done within sport science was conducted in laboratory settings, and nearly half of the research was conducted with elite or sub-elite athletes as participants/subjects (Kendall & Williams 2006).
To open up another paradigm, I have decided to focus on the role of coaching performance indicators on individual team, and team members.
The idea of writing a Bachelor thesis on this subject matter goes back during a personal experience watching series of football matches and other sporting events. The research subject area may be relatively new, but won't sound strange to the target respondents.
The subject area has generated a series of heated arguments not only in the press, but also within Economist, Investors and Politicians and sporting fans and team supporters. To back up with the debate, I have thought of moving down and focus attention to examine the nature of the problem. To the best of my knowledge little or no research has been carried out. I focused on football teams because it is one of the best and collective sport, and coaching performance indicators are likely to be exhilarating. I believe the result of this study would be of interest to investors, Economists, policy makers and other interest group.
3.1.2 Perspective
Writing a research of this kind requires the researchers to take a standpoint. By taking a standpoint the researchers will be able to interpret a problem from their personal perspective. This influences concepts about the most important aspects of the research and the collection of information (Hantrais 1996).
Depending on the purpose of this research, and from the perspective of an Academics and that of coaches I have been able to identify a standpoint. The perspective should reflect the researcher's interpretation of the situation at hand. An academician and investors often view problem interpretation differently. In this case, there are two perspectives; that of the coaches and that of the teams. In order to choose a perspective, I have used the main objective “to investigate and analyse the role of coaching on sporting performance indicators, with case study the top six premiere league teams in England ”.
Since the choice of perspective naturally derives from the purpose of study, it should therefore influence the researcher's method and theory (Nath & Ronholm 2004, Burton 2000) Researchers should take a standpoint and interpret a particular situation from their personal perspective. This intend influences the concepts and the collection of information . As a business student my perspective wouldn't be different from that of a businessman, but at the same time working in an academic area like this one requires the researchers to be more critical. While studying or researching on this topic, I will adopt the perspective of a researcher and coaches and try to be as objective as possible.
3.1.3 Preconception
Preconceptions are a complex pattern based on a person's social background, education, practical experience values and behaviour (Bryman & Bell 2004). Because of this situation, preconceptions make it practically impossible to be completely objective when writing a research like this one. Individual's preconceptions are their ideas that exist regarding different phenomenon (Burton 2000, Bryman &Bell 2007).
Preconceptions are socially founded, subjective opinions on the issues to be studied. The scientist preconceptions vary depending upon the parents, religion conviction, circle, set of acquaintances, working places, social status. Some are deeply founded than others and as such are harder to change e.g. faith and politics (Bechofer 2000:8).
I have acquired academic and work experience background in the field of business.
My personal preconceptions will of course affect not only the conclusions I make, but also the whole scientific process of the study. My preconceptions thus come from my previous studies and practical experience as a sport fan. I want to assure the reader at the same time I am objective.
3.1.4 Scientific ideal
Reality can be perceived from different angles depending on the researcher and the individual. This view should follow the scientific and theoretical choices of the study. Performing a research requires the researcher to probe into different ideals. In this study, I have identified with the hermeneutics research approach, as it is most suitable with a qualitative research, which is the case with this study. However, some researchers can identify within two approaches. Depending on the researchers, they can identify and position themselves anywhere along the two approaches, qualitative and quantitative ( Burton 2000:21).
This is however not the situation in this study. Since I have taken the position of hermeneutics researchers I am therefore mostly concern with the interpretation of results. The positivism researcher on the other hand, is concerned with the reproduction of the reality in a much more objective way ( Burton 2000:21, Saunders et al 2003).
In this study, since I will be mostly concern with the interpretation of result in the form of a case study that is finding out the role coaching on performance indicators on sporting activities. I will look at the real life situation and what actually happens. Thus, I will adopt the interpretist research approach, since the method better fits my research question and problem statement.
The subject area is a complex and difficult one, but however, with my academics and practical experience experience as a sport and football fan, I will crave the reader to share with me as I have a fair understanding of the problem at hand. Thus, with these backgrounds, I will be able to probe into the research question.
3.1.5 Scientific Approach
In this section of the theoretical methods, I have chosen to show how I intend to approach the problem. To do this, I start by gathering relevant information from theories related to the subject matter and compare them with our empirical findings. There are basically two-research approaches, the deductive approach in which you develop a theory and hypothesis and design a research strategy to test the hypothesis, or the inductive method in which you will collect data and develop theory as a result of your data analysis (Saunders et al., 2003:84).
Since I am mostly concerned with the interpretation of results, in this research, I will follow the inductive research approach. From existing research about the nature of the coaching activities and methods, I will be able to form the interview questions, analyse and investigate the findings.
Against this practical and theoretical background, I will start with initial empirical research, interviews (coaches) in order to strengthen the substance in both theoretical and practical background, and improve our performance in the interviews of key persons so that I could focus on the core issues. The initial visits and problem discussion would have the purpose of fine-tuning the work and on the basis of the results I will then start the main empirical work.
3.1.6 Research Method
A research method involves collecting data, with specific instrument such as a self-completion questionnaire or a structured interview schedule or where a researcher listens to and watches others (Bryman & Bell 2004:32). Basically, there are two research methods from which the above examples stem from. The qualitative and quantitative research methods. None of the method is better than the other, as each of the methods becomes efficient and effective once used in the proper context.
Qualitative research would seem to have the monopoly of the ability to study meaning. It proponents essentially claim that it is only through qualitative research that the world can be studied through the eyes of the people who are studied (Saunders et al., 2003:468).
The weakness of this method is the effect from the control of the phenomena, which will continue to change because of the scientific process. During the oral method, the interviewer should guide the conversation as little as possible. Through the language, the scientist and respondents could take part of each other's thoughts by their own valuations and experience, for it becomes easier for the scientist to gather information from the respondents.
Qualitative research is by no means a new strategy or framework for doing social research (Bryman & Bell 2004). None-the-less, there has been a very considerable growth in the use and popularity of qualitative research since the early 1960s, which can easily convey the impression that it is of more recent origin than is in fact the case(Bryman & Bell 2004 ).
Quantitative method on the other hand is based on already decided and well-structured questions, which all the respondents will be asked. This is also true for qualitative research method, though information is reduced to a certain area of interest and respondents are asked the same questions. This can be combined with open questions, which give the respondents the flexibility to answer from different perspectives ( Bryman & Bell 2004).
Quantitative and qualitative aspects may also be combined in the same study. They can compliment each other by bringing width and depth into the research. A mix of qualitative and quantitative studies would have been the best ideal if I was to study the problem too, at the level of the players or other participants using questionnaires. However, since my problem statement, and research approaches identify with the qualitative research method I have chosen to adopt this method.
Thus with this, I believe the approach has massive potentials that best suit the needs and will help probe into the research question by the end of the work.
3.2. 0Practical method
3.2.1 The selection of respondents
The research question will examine the role of Coaches and coaching activities on sport team performance within the dimensions of sport science. In my position as one concern with how coaches and coaching activities influence performance indicators in a sport team, I choose to get information through interview and questionnaires administered to coaches and coaches assistant in sampled football teams within England . Thus our interview is directed to the coaches or their direct representatives. I have considered the selection of respondents to be critical to the outcome and credibility of this work.
Data for this research will be collected at the beginning of the April 2008. Because of personal experience as a football fan in order to give more credibility to this work, I have chosen my samples based on the top performing teams in first division teams in the current season.
Thus, I have selected teams like, Manchester United FC, Arsenal FC, Chelsea FC, Manchester City FC, Liverpool FC, etc. I believe the six clubs will provide a fair representative picture of the nature of our research questions and subsequently the finding. Because of the nature of the problem statement, the interview will be limited to only the direct management staff (Coaches and their assistant) in each of the teams or representatives.
3.2.2 Data collection
With the main purpose of the research being to investigate the role of coaches and coaching activities on team performance within sport science, this assignment will be completed through an interview with the direct management coaching staff of the various football clubs selected. Thus, the questions will be directed, centred, and built around coaching strategies, with respect to individual teams, and the effects on the team performance indicators.
Hamilton, Vidich and Lyman, (2003), suggested that three different kinds of interviews are often used in research depending on the nature of the study. Structured interview, semi-structured interviews and unstructured interviews. Here, I will use semi-structured interview questions as it offers both the interviewer and interviewee more flexibility.
3.2.3 Interview guide
Interview guide refers to a list of questions likely to be followed by a researcher during the interview process. This is to ensure that interviewee has leeway on how to reply( Bryman & Bell 2004). Questions that are not included in the guide may be asked as the interviewer picks up with information responded by the interviewees.
In order to make the research questions non-interfering as much as possible. The interview guide was designed in line with the research questions and problem statement. The objectives with theories around the subject will also serve as a source of reference.
Information providing me with reference in framing the questions was used since my intention is to pass the information in the best way possible. The interview questions will be designed, administered and conducted in English, a language spoken and understood by all the respondents.
The questions will be focused on the different coaching strategies, used by the various respondents to improve on their team performance. Performance indicators, such as goal scored, titles won, season ranking, trophies will also be linked. Where their answers are perceived to be contrary to the interview question and objectives, I will try to pose the same question but this time around in a different way so as to trickle the reasoning of the respondent. Where necessary, this will be followed by an extra question, highlighting and explaining similar situations.
3.8.4 Interviews
For purposes of high credibility, make the work substantially useful and make proper recommendations, I will administer semi-structured questions in the form of an interview to the various sporting managers of the sampled teams. This will provide me another merit to minimise the probability of some questions not being answered or understood by respondents. Thus in situation, where some questions will not be understood; I will repeat the same question form another direction and in this way, draw the respondent attention. The method thus becomes the most feasible.
Therefore, if I had to leave them with questionnaires, they might not understand the questions and some questions would have been left unanswered.
Interviews will all be face to face with the respondents using semi-structured questions, with the ability for us to be able to vary the sequence of questions. For managers of these football teams and their assistant, we will agree on where best to conduct the interview. These will be places most convenient to them since they will have the upper hand in choosing the interview site and time. This will not be easy, as the respondents will have to fit this into their busy and tied schedule. Other source of information that will served during the data collection exercise will be source documents and communiqué of the respective sport teams.
3.8.5 Approaching Respondents
My very first task will be to get a letter from the authority of my department and another letter by myself to the respective football teams and coaches. I will later on visit some of the coaches, and make follow up telephone conversation explaining my research purpose and the need of such a research. In the follow up call, I will table my plea for an appointment with all, or the main coach of the team.
With the main purpose to get as much information as possible and to make the respondents understand they needed the research too. Thus, a follow up letter or initial visit will be to explain the importance of my work and how it will be beneficial at both ends. The interview will be arranged at the time convenient for the organisation and the interviewee. This probably explains why the time frame of the research will take two months to be completed.
3.1 Methods and Analysis
Descriptive statistics (mean±S.D.) will be used to characterize the data. Performance parameters will be analyse using a one-way within-subjects repeated measures analysis of variance (RMANOVA) to determine any difference between the responses from the respondents. For RMANOVA results that obtained statistical significance, planned comparisons will be tested between particular phases of the repeated measures design. For all tests, significance will be preset at p < 0.05.
3.1.5.1 Interview methods
The interview will be carried out in one of the interviewee's offices. Questions will be directed to top management concern with coaching activities of their various teams (Main coach and assistant) and structured in line with the theoretical framework. Some sample questions will include
• Number?
• What has been the effect on employees performance, organisational value, the organisational culture
• How was this situation before the merger took place
Reality can be perceived from different angle depending on the researcher and individual in question. This view should follow the scientific and theoretical choices of the study. Performing a research requires the researcher to probe into different ideals (Bryman & Bell 2004). In this study, I have identified with positivistic research approach where I intend to use questionnaires and interview to gather my information thus identifying me with two approaches. Bryman & Bell (2004) contend that researchers can identify within two approaches. Depending on the researchers in question, they can identify and position themselves anywhere along the two approaches. As a positivism researcher I am concern with the reproduction of the reality in a much more objective way. I am therefore mostly concern with real life situation. That is what is actually happening.
PART FOUR
4.0 Introduction
This section will be concerned with a presentation of the information that will be gathered during the data collection exercise from the various football teams sampled and the interviewees. Some other information also gotten from supported documents that will be gotten from the interviewees to back up and substantiate their information will also be presented as well. This information is presented in different sections with respect to the various institutions. Though most of the information is likely to be quite similar with almost all the football teams as the institutions all belong to the same industry, for purposes of judgement and reliability I will present them separately.
6.0 Strength and weaknesses
As a primary strength, this thesis will use a sound and solid theoretical base as presented in the literature review. The use of scientifically accepted methods of data collection and analysis further strengthens this thesis. The results from the analysis are clearly presented and contradict existing studies or are supported by the results of other studies. Therefore I believe the findings of this thesis can be applied generally, and could be used as a starting point by organizations, to make available what their employees prefer in their job.
Nonetheless I strongly believe that the strengths of this study in general far outweigh the possible weaknesses.
6.1 Contribution
By interviewing coaches of the top six performing football teams in England for the 2007/2008 season who constitutes the future work force, this thesis will be able to gather first hand data and presents a realistic result. Findings from the study will help enhance our understanding of the different coaching strategies used by top performing coaches. It will provide a starting point for other sporting clubs that may see it fit to design or redesign the coaching work or even the activities as a whole.
I may acknowledge here that instituting team spirit is not an easy task for any organisation, but using results from study like this may guide other teams in the right direction, which could make a whole lot of difference in the future.
6.2 Ethical Issues and Consideration
Ethics is concerned with discriminating between right and wrong behaviour. It is the reflection of the values of our society and it imposes a set of guidelines to be observed in our everyday lives and to our dealings with others (Bryan & Bell 2004).
A research like this one relies on trust, goodwill, continued understanding and cooperation of the respondents who have been identified and are willing to participate in the research projects by providing information. In this regard, information to be provided by the respondents will beheld in confidence and their identity will not be disclosed. In conducting this research I am bound by the code of professional standards and ethics maintained in the profession. Thus the anonymity of the respondents must be preserved except where the respondents have given consent for their details to be revealed.
Thus, all the sampled football teams will not be mislead on how their data will be used. Time will be taken to explain the purpose for which the data will be used with the respondents. Ethical and socially responsible behaviour will be a mandate at all stages of this research.
7.0 Validity
Validity refers to the question if the result from the gathered information was interpreted correctly ( Bryan & Bell 2004). In other words validity is the extent to which any measuring instrument measures what it is intended to measure (Carmines et al. 1976:16). The interview template will be designed directly on the centre of coaching and motivational strategies, performance indicators will also be used as the main questions will be drawn directly from the research question. In this way, I assure the audience that what I intended to study will be covered.
An important criterion for good validity is theoretical saturation, made possible if required information has been gathered (Burton 2000). Since the research is being carried out using a qualitative method, the interview with the representative of sampled football teams with defined procedures and methods put in place within the entire network. I can therefore say that it's a fair representation not only of the institution as a whole but the game as a whole. While feed back will be taken from the respondents, the I will be able to justify the findings, analysis and conclusion.
However, we want to admit here that, in cases where our interviewees couldn't understand our question, we had to fine tune, and asked the same questions using different words. This may have given room for the interviewees to misinterpret some questions, but this was not the case anyway with the interviewee.
7.1 Reliability
In all the interviews to be conducted, all attempt will be made as much as possible to get the interest of the interviewees by repeating what was being mentioned or highlighted during the interview so as to be sure if actually what will be noted and recorded was what they meant. Thus helping me as much as possible to reduce, what I will say to an extent observer bias (Saunders et al., 2004).
By using a semi-structured interview guide, I will ensure that even if different observers were interviewed differently, the interviewees would replicate same answer. To mitigate the impact of subject bias, repeated calls, emails and meetings will be made with the respective interviewees before the interview to give them an in-depth knowledge of the research questions and to trigger their thinking on how the research question is applicable to their institution and what response before the interview proper.
While being particularly conscious of the facts that, methods, procedures and people do change, different responses could be provided by different subject at different time.
I also believe, that, an increased number of interviews would have increased the reliability; however, since the entire sample came within the same industry this has been minimised. The research is a unique one, and answers will vary from interviewees to interviewees, making total reliability difficult in qualitative form of research as will be used in this study.
Proposal Timescale and Milestone.
This proposal is develop under the assumption that the thesis will be completed within two months. In the event of adjustment, the dates should be shifted forward.
Where X = ONE Week, XX= TWO weeks
XXX= THREE weeks
Activity |
Week1 |
Week2 |
Week3 |
Week4 |
Mile stone |
Finalisation of introduction, problem statement and objective of study |
x |
|
|
|
Chapter one completed and approved. |
Reading of existing literature, initial contact with sample institutions |
x |
xx |
|
|
Literature review completed |
Finalisation of research methods, administration of questionnaires and conducting interview |
x |
xx |
|
|
All questionnaires dispatched and interview administered |
Data collection and data entry |
|
|
xxx |
|
Data ready for analysis |
Discussion with supervisor and data analysis and presentation |
|
|
|
x |
Submission date agreed upon and go ahead received for presentation |
Report writing |
|
|
|
xx |
Typing of report |
Report submission for review |
|
|
|
x |
Final copy of report submitted for supervisors review |
Correction and presentation of final report |
|
|
|
|
X Well Done |
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