Effects of Entrepreneurial Orientation and Passion for Work on Performance Variables in Sports Clubs

Entrepreneurial orientation and passion for work have been widely studied due to their effects on the behaviour and attitude of management teams in the short- and long-term. However, despite the influences of these variables on the sustainability and survival of an entity, there is a gap when considering the effects of these two performance variables in sports organisations. Therefore, the main objectives of this study were to understand the influences of entrepreneurial orientation and passion for work on service quality and sporting performance. To this end, 199 Spanish non-profit sports clubs were analysed using instruments with good psychometric properties. Data analysis was carried out using two complementary methodologies: hierarchical regression models and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis. The findings show that innovation and risk-taking influence performance variables and that the inclusion of passion for work significantly increases the explanatory capacity of the model. On the other hand, it was also observed that entrepreneurial orientation dimensions and passion for work are part of the combination that allows the expected result to be explored to a greater extent. Theoretical and practical implications were drawn from these findings, which can be used to improve the economic and social sustainability of sport organisations. The study also provides useful information for managers and directors of sport organisations.