Ethical Marketing Dimensions in Sport Equipment Selling (Case Study: Yazd Province, Iran)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Assistant Professor of Sports Management, Department of Sports Management and Motor Behavior, Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran

2 Associate Professor of Sports Management, Department of Sports Management and Motor Behavior, Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran

Abstract

This study was conducted with the aim of identifying and prioritizing the ethical dimensions of marketing in the sale of sports equipment in Yazd province, Iran. The research was a mixed exploratory study conducted in the field. The research population in the qualitative and quantitative sections included all individuals who made sports purchases in 2023. In the qualitative section, 16 individuals were interviewed using the snowball method until theoretical saturation was reached. For the quantitative section, according to Krejcie and Morgan table, 384 individuals were randomly selected from 6 counties (Yazd, Meybod, Ardakan, Mehriz, Khatam, and Bafq) as the sample. The research tools in the qualitative section were interviews, and in the quantitative section, questionnaires derived from the interviews, which were examined for validity and reliability. For data analysis, descriptive statistical methods (mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistical methods (exploratory factor analysis and second-order confirmatory factor analysis) were used. The research results showed that the ethical dimensions of marketing in the sale of sports equipment were identified in four components (product, price, distribution, and promotion). In general, it can be said that by identifying the ethical dimensions of marketing in the sale of sports equipment, on one hand, it helps develop ethics in the field of sports marketing, and on the other hand, it enables officials to prevent unethical practices through increased attention and oversight of sellers' work in the identified areas, leading to greater customer satisfaction.

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