Running events in a crisis context : a sport consumer marketing perspective

Abstract

In this thesis, Running events in a crisis context: a sport consumer marketing perspective, the candidate investigated emotional and behavioural aspects of sport event participation, specifically running events, prior to and during phases related to the unique COVID-19 crisis. The study was conducted in three parts, with the first two applying a novel netnography among an online community of marathon runners, utilising both inductive and deductive qualitative research methods. In the third part, a quantitative CHAID segmentation approach was employed. The first part focused on self-expressiveness and showed that event participants derive a deeper sense of happiness (or eudaimonia) from marathon event participation. This results in positive marketing outcomes, particularly positive authentic electronic word-of-mouth communication. The second part showed that brand love is enduring during a crisis, and the third part showed the potential for virtual running events across different segments. The study provides theoretical, practical and methodological contributions within the field of sport marketing and consumer behaviour.

isiZulu: Kule thisisi, Izehlakalo zokugijima ngesikhathi sobungozi : umbono wokumaketha ezemidlalo womthengi, ikhandidethi iphenya izibonakaliso ngokozwelo kanye nokuziphatha ekubambeni iqhaza esehlakalweni sezemidlalo, ikakhulukazi ezehlakalweni zokugijima, ngaphambi kanye nangesikhathi samazinga ayehambisana nobungozi obukhethekile be-COVID-19. Ucwaningo lwenziwe ngezingxenye ezintathu, ezimbili zokuqala zisebenzisa indlela entsha yokucwaninga ngwkhompyutha (inetnografi) yenoveli phakathi komphakathi we-inthanethi wabagijimi bemijaho emide, kusetshenziswa izindlela zombili zokwenza ucwaningo, esingathi efundisayo nehlaziyayo ukuze ifinyelele ezinqumeni. Engxenyeni yesithathu, indlela yezingxenye esezingeni ye-CHAID iye yasetshenziswa. Ingxenye yokuqala yayiqondiswe ekuzethuleni komuntu uqobo lwakhe yaphinde yabonisa nokuthi ukubamba iqhaza kuzehlakalo zemarathoni zenza umuntu athole umuzwa ojulile wokujabula (noma i-eudaimonia) evela ekubambeni iqhaza esehlakalweni semarathoni. Loku kwaba nemiphumela yezokumaketha emihle (ephosethivi), ikakhulukazi ukuxhumana ngokuzwa kushiwo ngomlomo okuyiqiniso okuhle kwe-elekhthroniki. Ingxenye yesibili yabonisa ukuthi ukuthanda ibhrendi kuyaqina ngesikhathi sobungozi, bese ingxenye yesithathu ibonise amandla izehlakalo zokugijima okubonakalayo ezinawo ngokuphambana kwezingxenye ezihlukahlukene. Lolu cwaningo luhlinzeka ulwazi lwethiyori, lokusebenzisa kanye nolwendlela yokwenza ngaphakathi komkhakha wezokuziphatha kwabathengi kanye nokumaketha ezemidlalo.

Afrikaans: In hierdie proefskrif, Running events in a crisis context: a sport consumer marketing perspektief, het die kandidaat emosionele en gedragsaspekte van sportbyeenkomsdeelname, spesifiek hardloopgeleenthede, voor en tydens fases wat verband hou met die unieke COVID-19-krisis ondersoek. Die studie is in drie dele uitgevoer, met die eerste twee wat 'n nuwe netnografie toegepas het onder 'n aanlyn gemeenskap van marathon hardlopers, wat beide induktiewe en deduktiewe kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodes gebruik het. In die derde deel is 'n kwantitatiewe CHAID-segmenteringsbenadering gebruik. Die eerste deel het gefokus op selfuitdrukking en het getoon dat deelnemers 'n dieper gevoel van geluk (of eudaimonia) uit marathonbyeenkomsdeelname put. Dit lei tot positiewe bemarkingsuitkomste, veral positiewe outentieke elektroniese mond-tot-mond-kommunikasie. Die tweede deel het getoon dat handelsmerkliefde tydens 'n krisis duursaam is, en die derde deel het die potensiaal vir virtuele hardloopgeleenthede oor verskillende segmente getoon. Die studie lewer teoretiese, praktiese en metodologiese bydraes binne die veld van sportbemarking en verbruikersgedrag.

Sepedi: Mo theseseng ye, Go swara ditiragalo seemong sa mathata: pono ya papatšo ya bareki ba dipapadi, nkgetheng o nyakišišitše dikarolo tša maikutlo le boitshwaro tša go tšea karolo ditiragalong tša dipapadi, kudukudu go swara ditiragalo, pele ga le nakong ya dikgato tšeo di amanago le mathata a moswananoši a COVID-19. Thuto e dirilwe ka dikarolo tše tharo, ka tše pedi tša mathomo go dirišitšwe netnography ye mpsha setšhabeng sa bakitimi ba marathone wainthanete sa batamelane ba marathon, go šomišwa bobedi mekgwa ya nyakišišo ya boleng ya gokgobokanya dathaya maleba (inductive) le wa go thoma ka theori (deductive). Karolong ya boraro, go šomišitšwe mokgwa wa boleng wa karoganyo wa CHAID ya boleng. Karolo ya mathomo e be e lebišitšwe go boitlhalosong gomme e bontšhitše gore batšeakarolo ba tiragalo ba hwetša maikutlo a go tsenelela a lethabo (goba eudaimonia) ka go tšea karolo ditiragalong tša marathon. Se se feletša ka dipoelo tše botse tša papatšo, kudukudu kgokagano ye botse ya nnete ya elektroniki ya kgokagano ya molomo. Karolo ya bobedi e bontšhitše gore lerato la leina le a swarelela nakong ya mathata, gomme karolo ya boraro e bontšhitše kgonagalo ya go swara ditiragalo tša go bonwa dikarolo tše di fapanego. Thuto e fana ka meneelo ya teori, ya tirišo le ya mokgwa ka gare ga lefapha la papatšo ya dipapadi le boitshwaro bja bareki.