Cognitive Analysis of Psychological and Managerial Structures and Processes Affecting the Participation of Sports Philanthropists in Schools

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to cognitively analyze the psychological and managerial structures and processes affecting the participation of sports philanthropists in the development of school sports.

Methodology: This applied study used a descriptive-exploratory design with a mixed-methods approach. In the qualitative phase, thematic analysis and the Delphi technique were employed. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 11 experts in sports management and psychology who had scholarly work related to sports philanthropy. Participants were selected through purposive sampling, and the sample size was determined based on theoretical saturation. The reliability of interview coding was assessed using Holsti’s method and was calculated as 0.88. In the quantitative phase, the extracted themes were converted into an 18-item researcher-made questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale. Face and content validity were assessed using CVR and CVI indices, and reliability was examined through Cronbach’s alpha. Data were analyzed using MAXQDA and SPSS version 22.

Findings: Kendall’s coefficient of concordance showed that expert agreement increased across the three Delphi rounds, from 0.466 in the first round to 0.512 in the second round and 0.588 in the third round. The chi-square values for the three rounds were 283.094, 293.201, and 255.206, respectively, with 17 degrees of freedom, and all were significant at the 0.001 level. In addition, skewness and kurtosis values for the three main themes were within the acceptable range of ±2, confirming the normality of data distribution. Therefore, a significant expert consensus was achieved regarding the final themes.

Conclusion: The findings indicated that the participation of sports philanthropists in schools is a multidimensional phenomenon shaped by psychological, managerial, social, and institutional factors. Trust-building, financial transparency, removal of legal and administrative barriers, media-based information dissemination, appreciation of philanthropists, and the establishment of supportive organizational structures can facilitate the attraction and long-term retention of sports philanthropists in schools.