CSR in Sports Organisations : A Multiple Case Study Aimed to Explore the Factors Influencing Sports Organisations Adoption of CSR

Abstract: CSR has become a more frequent activity in the sport industry. Several sports organisations have adopted this socially acceptable concept, making it present during sporting events and matches. Today, CSR has been developed to a competitive advantage and those organisations who conduct their CSR activities might be able to obtain organisational goals outside the pitch. Therefore, it is important to understand and establish the underlying factors behind this adoption, so stakeholder can grasp the goals. With the support of Swedish sports organisations CSR the goal was to discover the influencing factors for membership-owned sports organisations adoption of CSR. This study used a qualitative, multiple case study approach to gather the information from the relevant sports organisations. Interviews were the main source of the empirical data collection. The results were identified via the stakeholder perspective, resource-based view and determinants of corporate social responsibility in professional sport. In conclusion the major findings illustrate that Swedish sports organisations are mainly influenced by internal factors in the adoption of CSR.