Transformations  in
Business & Economics

FACTORS AFFECTING COMPETITIVENESS OF SERVICES PROVIDED BY SPORTS CLUBS: A CASE OF KAUNAS CITY SPORTS CLUBS
Rimantas Mikalauskas, Edmundas Jasinskas, Irena Valantine, Vilija Bite Fominiene, Sergej Vojtovic

ABSTRACT. Today, only modern organizations can compete in the national, European and global market, as they develop knowledge, or use of scientific and technical progress in modernizing jobs, basically increasing productivity, reducing production costs, the staff is regularly taught new ways of working, developing co-operation in the national and the international market, they are able to adapt to the constantly changing environment. Aim of article was to identify the main factors affecting the competitiveness of services of sports clubs. The paper identifies major internal and external factors influencing the competitiveness of the services provided by sports clubs. Internal factors were factor and demand conditions, related and servicing industries (clusters), the company structure, strategy and competition, manager/strategy developer, corporate image and service quality. External factors were the role of the government, opportunities and international business, social and economic factors. The main reasons for the importance of internal factors affecting the competitiveness of sports club services are the clients' personal interests and meeting their social needs, and the importance of the external factors is determined by the state and the values established in the society. The practical model of factors affecting the competitiveness of the services provided by sports clubs was developed in the order of their priority. The model of factors affecting the competitiveness of the services provided by sports clubs reflects the internal and external competitive environment of sports clubs services.

KEYWORDS: sport clubs, services, competition.

JEL classification: D41, L83, L84.