Crisis management: how youth development matters for basketball clubs during the economic recession in Greece. An executive point of view
economic recession in Greece. An executive point of view
Pervyi, Artem |
This study investigates the impact of the 2008 economic crisis on Greek basketball clubs and the importance of youth development for their survival during the economic recession. It employs the theoretical framework of Crisis Management, and its main purpose is to capture the views of basketball executives on the management processes, that is, how they understand the concept of youth development and their attitudes toward investing in basketball youth academies in the times of economic recession. The data collection for this research took place in the Greek regions of Athens, Thessaloniki, and the island of Limnos and includes 12 qualitative interviews, which were analyzed thematically. The findings suggest that due to contrasting views on the importance of investing in youth development academies, for different reasons, not every club follows this business model. In light of the downgrade of Greek basketball over the last decade, Greek professional and semiprofessional basketball clubs face a financial crisis; clubs operate through old management strategies and practices but strive to achieve new and modern ideals. Although executives do find ways to survive and even thrive in the complex business reality that accompanies the economic recession, core representations of clubs' youth academies as a crisis management tool during permanent economic recession continue to permeate both structural and development processes, inhibiting progress toward the realization of these academies.