Strategic marketing through sport for development: managing multi-stakeholder partnerships

ABSTRACT

Previous literature establishes links between strategic marketing through sport and corporate social responsibility (CSR). While many corporations will leverage sports to reinforce their product and corporate brands, others will use sports as a channel for their CSR efforts aimed at tackling grand societal challenges – global issues that are so complex that multi-stakeholder partnerships are needed to make a difference. As these partnerships involve corporations, non-profits, governments, and other concerned stakeholders, implementing CSR campaigns involving multi-stakeholder partnership remains challenging. Through in-depth interviews with 14 corporate partners of a global movement that enriches the lives of individuals identifying with intellectual disabilities through sport, our study proposes a conceptual model that crystallizes how corporate partners are activated by the multi-stakeholder partner – our proposed sport for development Partnership Management Matrix provides insights about the importance of the frequency and formality of connection between multi-stakeholder partners. Accordingly, a discussion about how the frequency and formality of connections can contribute to producing greater brand value than traditional strategic marketing through sports is provided.

KEYWORDS:

• Strategic Marketing
• Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships
• Managing Grand Challenges

Acknowledgments

The author wishes to acknowledge the support given by Special Olympics Canada. We also acknowledge that this research took place on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. We also acknowledge this land is covered by Treaty 13 signed with the Mississaugas of the Credit and the Williams Treaties signed with multiple Mississaugas and Chippewa bands.

Disclosure statement

The author declares that there is no conflict of interest associated with this research.

Additional information

Funding

Funding for this research was obtained through the author’s research fund provided by Carleton University as well as through the Stands for Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Partnership engage fund