| A Systematic Analysis of Talent Management in Iranian Professional Sport: A Meta-synthesis Study |
| Paper ID : 1205-SPORTCONGRESS |
| Authors |
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Mostafa Dashti Momen Abadi1, Rasoul Tarighi2, Seyyed Mohammad Hossein Razavi *3, Kianoosh Shajie4 1Ph.D. student in Sports Management at Shomal University, Amol, Mazandaran, Iran. 2Assistant Professor, Department of Sports Management, Faculty of Sports Sciences, University of Shomal, Amol, Mazandaran, Iran. 3Professor of Sport Management, Department of Sport Management, Faculty of Sports Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran. 4Faculty member of Binaloud institution of higher education of Mashhad |
| Abstract |
| Introduction: Professional sport has evolved into a sophisticated industry requiring systematic talent management approaches to achieve international competitiveness. Despite significant investments in athlete development, many nations including Iran face challenges in optimizing talent identification, development, and retention processes. Current fragmented approaches result in suboptimal returns on sporting investments and missed opportunities for elite performance development. This study presents a comprehensive meta-synthesis examining talent management frameworks in Iranian professional sport to identify essential components, implementation strategies, and evidence-based practices for systematic talent pipeline optimization. Methods: This meta-synthesis employed Sandelowski and Barroso's seven-step methodology to systematically analyze talent management studies published between 2015-2025. Comprehensive searches were conducted across ten databases (five English, five Persian) using purposive sampling until theoretical saturation. From 78 initially identified studies, 22 met rigorous inclusion criteria (8 Iranian, 14 international). Data extraction focused on talent management processes with three-stage coding analysis performed using MAXQDA software. Inter-rater reliability was assessed using Cohen's kappa (κ=0.833), indicating excellent agreement. Results: The systematic analysis revealed a comprehensive five-domain talent management framework encompassing 42 operational components: Discovery (7 components), Identification (8 components), Selection (8 components), Development (10 components), and Retention (9 components). Key findings demonstrate that effective talent management requires integrated systematic approaches rather than isolated interventions. Critical implementation gaps identified include lack of standardized protocols, fragmented stakeholder coordination, insufficient long-term planning, and inadequate retention mechanisms preventing optimal talent pipeline efficiency. Conclusion: This meta-synthesis presents the first comprehensive systematic framework for talent management in Iranian professional sport. Implementation requires establishing national talent information systems, strengthening school-academy partnerships, creating public-private support mechanisms, and developing evidence-based assessment protocols. The framework offers practical guidance for policy makers and sport organizations to enhance talent pipeline efficiency and international competitive success through systematic, coordinated approaches to athlete development and retention. |
| Keywords |
| talent management, meta-synthesis, professional sport, systematic analysis, athlete development. |
| Status: Abstract Accepted (Poster Presentation) |
