Being an elite athlete was once just a hobby. Something you did on the side, while studying or working. In many sports, it is today changed into a professionalized industry, where the athletes are not just athletes seeking to win, but also employees, who depend on their sport to pay for their cost of living. This thesis investigates which attitudes and motivations of elite professional handball players in Denmark have towards employment in general and employers specifically, and what makes some employers more attractive than others. The research topic is relevant not just for employers seeking to optimize their staff, but also for academics to understand a particular industry and profession, where the roots are in recreation rather than labour.
What the research found is that while playing handball is a job or them, this has limited impact in their professional lives. In their daily motivation it is handball, not money, that motivates the majority of them, and for all of them it is important that their skills and performances are recognized. For the majority of the players, recognition is especially significant as it gives meaning to a job, which often includes sacrificing family time
for the job. One area where the players have been touched by professionalization, however, is a willingness to place themselves before the employer, as they will remain loyal only as long as they are satisfied. What determines satisfaction and
what makes an employer attractive is largely based on what the
club can offer the player from a sporting perspective, however the club must live up to the players’ wishes for salary and family considerations to be considered. However, another very significant factor for motivation and the attitude towards the employer is that the club lives up to the promises it makes, as players will react very negatively if they are broken.
The findings should be relevant to employers within the handball industry, as the research has identified what things is part of determining motivation and presented an argument for why this is particularly important in professional sports. The findings also point to a need for further research into areas of motivational theory, where the findings and existing models do not match entirely.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
1.1 Problem identification and research question
1.2 Focus and relevance of research
2 Methodological Considerations
2.1 Research Philosophy
2.2 Research Design
2.2.1 Literature search
2.2.2 Interviewing experts
2.2.3 Focus groups/Interviews
2.3 Interview Methodology
2.3.1 Thematizing
2.3.2 Designing
2.3.3 Interviewing
2.3.4 Transcribing
2.3.5 Analyzing
2.3.6 Verifying
2.3.7 Reporting
2.4 Delimitation
3 Theoretical direction
3.1 Employee identity
3.2 Employer attractiveness
3.3 Employee retention
4 Danish professional handball
5 Findings
5.1 Research results
5.1.1 A search of the literature
5.1.2 Interviewing experts in the subject
5.1.3 Conducting interviews – summaries of meaning condensations
6 Analysis
6.1 Reflections on the interview process and the findings
6.2 Player 1
6.2.1 Theoretical analysis
6.2.2 Part conclusion
6.3 Player 2
6.3.1 Theoretical analysis
6.3.2 Part conclusion
6.4 Player 3
6.4.1 Theoretical analysis
6.4.2 Part conclusion
6.5 Player 4
6.5.1 Theoretical analysis
6.5.2 Part conclusion
6.6 Player 5
6.6.1 Theoretical analysis
6.6.2 Part conclusion
6.7 Player 6
6.7.1 Theoretical analysis
6.7.2 Part conclusion
7 Discussion
7.1 Comparison to expert interviews
7.2 Comparison to literature search
8 Closing points
8.1 Conclusion
8.1.1 The players’ attitudes and motivations towards employment
8.1.2 The players’ attitudes and motivations towards employers
8.1.3 What make some employers more attractive than others
8.2 Managerial Implications
8.3 Theoretical Implications
8.4 Directions for Future Research
Objectives and Research Themes
This thesis investigates the evolving nature of professional handball in Denmark, focusing on how elite players perceive their dual status as athletes and employees. It seeks to uncover the attitudes and motivations of these athletes toward their employment and identify the factors that influence their choice of employer.
- Evolution of professional handball from hobby to industry
- Employee identity and motivational archetypes
- Dimensions of employer attractiveness in sports
- Management of the psychological contract
- Impact of financial instability on player motivation
Excerpt from the Book
6.2.1 Theoretical analysis
Player 1’s attitude towards being a professional handball player is that mostly it does not feel like a job, and he finds it funny that he is being paid for something he wants to do so badly anyway. Since it is also a big part of his identity and he is ready to do more than required in order to succeed, this makes him very similar to both the primadonna and the performance tripper and very unlike the wage earner. Just like the primadonna and the performance tripper, work is the primary source of satisfaction and identity, which became especially clear when he was asked about the influence of athletic performance on the private life: “It probably has big influence. Right now I am injured and I can feel. I am missing something”. This is supported as he goes on to explain how his identity is shaped by him being a handball player as, everywhere he goes, even at home with his family, he is seen very much as the handball player.
Since that which motivate Player 1 are the kicks and experiences he can get from handball and that he aspires to be better, have success, and earn more money, this makes him more similar to the performance tripper than the primadonna. His motivation to perform comes from a desire for personal success rather than to make a difference for someone else: “Well I just think I would rather, that is, I would rather have success than the club”. Recognition from his coach and teammates for his performances are important to Player 1, making him fit both the primadonna and the extrovert performance tripper who both thrive on recognition. He also has a strong inner drive to succeed, which would make him more similar to the introvert performance tripper.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Introduces the shift of Danish handball from a leisure activity to a professional industry and presents the research question regarding player attitudes.
2 Methodological Considerations: Outlines the interpretivist research philosophy and the use of semi-structured interviews to gather qualitative insights.
3 Theoretical direction: Establishes frameworks for employee identity, employer attractiveness, and the psychological contract to analyze findings.
4 Danish professional handball: Provides context on the current state, professionalization, and economic realities of the Danish handball league.
5 Findings: Presents primary data gathered from literature reviews and expert interviews regarding the professional handball landscape.
6 Analysis: Analyzes the individual perspectives of six interviewed players in relation to motivational theories and professional commitment.
7 Discussion: Compares interview findings with existing literature and expert opinions to validate the research conclusions.
8 Closing points: Concludes the thesis by summarizing player motivations and providing managerial and theoretical implications for future research.
Keywords
Professional handball, Employee identity, Employer attractiveness, Psychological contract, Motivational theory, Sports management, Player motivation, Labour relations, Professionalization, Human Resources, Career development, Qualitative research, Denmark.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this thesis?
The research examines the attitudes and motivations of elite professional handball players in Denmark, specifically regarding their dual role as athletes and employees within a professionalized industry.
What are the primary themes addressed?
Key themes include employee identity, organizational commitment, employer branding within the sports sector, and the maintenance of the psychological contract between clubs and players.
What is the central research question?
The study asks which attitudes and motivations elite Danish professional handball players hold regarding their employment and what factors make certain employers more attractive than others.
Which research methodology was applied?
The author employed a qualitative research design, utilizing semi-structured interviews with experts and professional players to generate deep, meaningful insights into their lived experiences.
What is the primary contribution of the main analysis section?
The main analysis categorizes players into motivational archetypes and assesses how factors like salary, team culture, and management style impact their career decisions and organizational loyalty.
Which keywords define this research?
Major keywords include professional handball, employee identity, employer attractiveness, psychological contract, and motivational theory.
How does the "psychological contract" influence player motivation?
The thesis concludes that players feel demotivated when a club breaches promises, as they view their engagement as a commitment that requires reciprocal support and honest communication.
What role does financial reward play for these athletes?
While financial compensation is important for recognizing their skills and achievements, it is often secondary to sporting success, personal growth, and team dynamics for most players.
- Quote paper
- Henrik H. Lønne (Author), 2014, Athlete or employee. A study of professional handball players, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/309980
