Toward an institutional theory of escalation of commitment within sport management: A review and future directions

Publication date: Available online 19 January 2019Source: Sport Management ReviewAuthor(s): Calvin Nite, Michael Hutchinson, Adrien BouchetAbstractOver the past decade, escalation of commitment theory has gained traction and relevance in the sport management literature. The purpose of this paper was to review the current progress of escalation of commitment research within sport management and provide a new perspective for evaluating and researching potential cases of escalation within sport contexts. To this end, the authors proposed a model that accounts for the different institutional logics that likely impact decision-making and evaluations of success. Consistent with previous research of institutions, the authors contend that the perceptions and attached meanings to courses of action should be accounted for when examining escalation of commitment. The implications of this approach and how it addresses shortcomings of previous research are detailed. Finally, the authors provide suggestions for future research of escalation of commitment in sport contexts.

Source: Sport Management Review - January 20, 2019 Category: Sports Medicine Source Type: research