ABSTRACT
Research and analysis have a mystique about them. We hear these words and may think of Madame Curie in her laboratory or Douglas McGregor’s theories of management: Theory X and Theory Y. Yet research and analysis are far from mysterious. Sport industry professionals use research skills every day in solving substantial problems, such as decisions about the best ways to use scarce resources, which candidate to hire, or who should receive an end-of-year bonus. The key to good decisions is good research and analysis, and the key to good research and analysis is reliable data. Reliable data are assembled through a systematic process of planning. Research and analysis have an impact on organizational bottom lines, and sport managers must, therefore, be able to judge the quality of their research and the results it yields for their practical use.
