Analysis of sport industry shows success in partner countries

Partner countries in the study included Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, India, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kenya, Pakistan, Tunisia, Senegal and Serbia. As unemployment and underemployment are considerable problems in these countries, certain sub-sectors of the sport industry were taken into consideration, namely, information and communication technologies, education, fitness, retail and tourism, as it proved that they were relevant in driving economic growth.

The structure of the study analysed the sport structure of the countries to facilitate a better understanding of the potential, social-cultural relevance of sport in the society, education and employment attitude asses via interviews and evaluation-based competencies on sport advertisements.  Furthermore, some of the objectives of the study included the identification of sport sector’s proportion and growth potential in relation to the profile of the country, identification of employment opportunities in the sector and the effect of educational programmes geared towards the job market in the sport sector.

Indirect multipliers within the sub-categories were identified which included Marketing managers, information technology managers and health informatics specialists in Information and communication technologies. Education included coaches and scouts, recreation and fitness teachers and secondary school teachers. Health comprised of Fitness and wellness coordinators and group fitness instructors, recreation, and community health workers. Retail included sales managers, market research analysts and marketing specialists, and business intelligence analysts. Recreation attendants came under the Tourism sub-category along with agents of artists, performers and athletes, lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers.

However, the study also highlighted challenges, for example, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, lack of governmental will and legal restrictions were identified as limiting factors in the development of the sport sector. A similar trend was also seen in Colombia where employment in sports is through personal connections rather than official application process, though recently the country has hosted a range of large-scale events. In India, a lack of a sport structure together with unqualified officials in sport federations limit grassroots sports.

Overall, the study presented a comprehensive analysis of the positive relationship between the sport industry and the economy and how it benefits communities. Additionally, the study also provided valuable insights into cultural and social relevance for each region, while highlighting the challenges of developing a sporting culture. However, the results also indicated that there is a dearth of research on how S4D projects boost employability in certain regions and more research needs to be undertaken to understand the needs and challenges of partner countries.

For access to the study click here or for further information about the study please contact Hannes.Utescher@giz.de