Crisis Management in Sports Enterprises: An Analysis on the Role of Female Top Managers

This study explores the role of women in top-level management positions in effectively managing and navigating corporate crises. The primary objective is to examine how gender differences influence the perception of crisis susceptibility and preparedness in sport-based entrepreneurship within organizational settings. Specifically, the research aims to investigate the actions, decision-making processes, abilities, and opportunities women can leverage to steer businesses during times of crisis. A single case study approach was employed to answer the research question, focusing on the basketball club “Virtus Cassino” competing in the Italian national Serie B basketball championship. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the female entrepreneur, and various sources such as strategic business documents, the club’s website, and press articles on Virtus Cassino were analyzed. The female entrepreneur’s role is a crucial aspect of the analysis, as she represents both the subject of study and a strategic management model for crisis management. The frameworks proposed by Ratten (International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 7, 57–69, 2011) and Ahonen (Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy, 8(1), 22–39, 2019) were utilized to test the research findings and achieve the research objectives. Additionally, the research results were triangulated to ensure data integrity and reliability. This paper contributes to the literature on gender and crisis management by presenting a strategic management model for crisis management in sports entrepreneurship guided by a female entrepreneur. The research findings also enrich the literature on sport-based entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship theory, as they identify the strategic levers of crisis management under the leadership of a female entrepreneur. These levers encompass various elements, including intangible factors such as the manager’s entrepreneurial skills, the cultural background of the stakeholders, and the relationships established by the sports club with fans and industry professionals. This model offers insights into the valuable role women can play in overcoming managerial crises, even within sports enterprises.