| Transformative Technologies in Iran’s Sports Ecosystem: From Technological Driver to Cultural–Organizational Empowerment |
| Paper ID : 1285-SPORTCONGRESS |
| Authors |
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Reza Farokhshahinia * Assistant Professor of Strategic Management in Sports Organizations, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran |
| Abstract |
| Abstract Introduction: The sports ecosystem of Iran is a complex system of diverse individuals, processes, and activities that brings together multiple actors to co create shared value through learning based and technological interactions. Therefore, the concept of digital transformation in sports has evolved beyond smart tools to a multidimensional process that integrates human, organizational, and data interactions. The present study aims to explore the actual role of transformative technologies in shaping the future of Iranian sports and their position in the smartification process of the sports ecosystem. Methods: This research is applied in purpose, qualitative in nature, and executed through foresight‑based environmental scanning and survey design. In accordance with Popper (2008, pp. 64–65), expert questionnaires in foresight studies possess a qualitative nature, even though they use numerical scales to quantify subjective perceptions. Results: Structural equation modeling (SEM) results revealed that although transformative technologies exert a statistically significant impact on the future of sports (t = 5.701, β = 0.653) they are not identified as the key driving forces among the technological components. Conclusion: This indicates that digital transformation in Iranian sports is, above all, cultural and organizational rather than purely technical. The level of technological penetration and effectiveness depends on organizations’ capacity for digital adaptation, localization, and learning. Technology alone does not drive transformation; rather, it becomes meaningful through mediating factors such as digital human capital, data driven culture, and organizational innovation. Thus, the future of Iranian sports is transitioning from a technology centered paradigm toward a collaborative, knowledge based ecosystem. |
| Keywords |
| Digital Transformation, Transformative Technologies, Smart Sports Ecosystem, Foresight, Cultural–Organizational Empowerment. |
| Status: Abstract Accepted (Poster Presentation) |
