MANAGEMENT STYLES IN SPORT

Abstract

Abstract. A sports team represents a formal group that faces certain tasks. One of the important parameters of the in-group relationships is its management. Previous studies indicated an association between management styles in the sports organization and certain athletes' characteristics. The aim of the present study was to determine the existence of significant differences between certain management styles (autocratic, democratic, and integrative) in relation to participants' sports status (active athletes or sports officials), gender, and type of sports that male athletes are involved in (football, handball, and basketball). The sample consisted of 136 participants, 92 team sports athletes and 44 sports officials (sport club managers and coaches from Niš). Of the participants, 113 were male, and 23 were female. The most important results of this study show that there is no statistically significant difference in terms of management style preference between sports officials and active athletes, and the female participants preferred autocratic and democratic styles more than the male participants. There are differences between the athletes from various team sports, and differences of preferences in the integrative management style are the least notable.Key words: sports team, management style, gender, type of sports.