The “Clockwork” Model for Deployment Technology Innovations in Sports Industry Ecosystem: Holistic Approach

Ekaterina Glebova (), Michel Desbordes and Orsolya Czegledi
Additional contact information
Ekaterina Glebova: Faculty of Sports Science, Université Paris Saclay CIAMS, 91400 Orsay, France
Michel Desbordes: Faculty of Sports Science, Université Paris Saclay CIAMS, 91400 Orsay, France
Orsolya Czegledi: Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education, University of Lille, 59000 Lille, France

Societies, 2024, vol. 14, issue 2, 1-13

Abstract: The use of technology in different aspects of the sports industry is widespread across the world, affecting sports training, performance, judging, and spectating. However, the integration, deployment, and evolution of technologies in the sports industry ecosystem are still unclear and unexplained. In this paper, we aim to build and explain the conceptual model for deployment technologies in the sports ecosystem in a holistic approach. This conceptual model is based on a literature review and theoretical synthesis, coupled with 15 qualitative unstructured interviews with high-profile sport and technology experts. Then, we formulated 4 hypotheses and confirmed them using 15 qualitative unstructured interviews with technology and sports experts. The in-depth analysis of the literature and collected data let us build the “Clockwork” Model. To better visualize and explain the development of the model of deployment technologies in the sports ecosystem, based on the analysis of theoretical and empirical data, we compare the mechanism of the model with clockwork. Technology deployment is a complicated operational process and involves the continuous sequence of consecutive elements (stages), ideally functioning as a mechanism. Together, the hypotheses underscore the symbiotic relationship between traditional sports infrastructure and technological advancements, highlighting the importance of a balanced and well-functioning ecosystem for overall success and development in the sports industry. All four hypotheses were confirmed during the second set of interviews (N = 15). Furthermore, their synthesis brought us to build and refine the “Clockwork” conceptual model, which explains, articulates, and visually demonstrates the process of how technology innovations appear and evolve in the sports ecosystem; in other words, the continuous and cyclic process of technology implementation and deployment.

Keywords: sports industry; sports ecosystem; technology; innovation; technology life cycle (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A13 A14 P P0 P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 Z1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/14/2/23/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/14/2/23/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsoctx:v:14:y:2024:i:2:p:23-:d:1338166

Access Statistics for this article

Societies is currently edited by Ms. Farrah Sun

More articles in Societies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().