Critical Review of Sport Branding History

This assignment requires a critical review of a research paper focusing on the history of branding in sports. The student must evaluate the paper's methodology, findings, and contribution to the field. Specific areas of focus include the justification for research methods, the use of mixed methods design, and the identification of future research directions.

SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY

Table of Contents
SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY....................................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................3
DESCRIPTION OF ARTICLE............................................................................................................3
THE CHOICE OF METHOD IN RELATION TO THE RESEARCH QUESTION/PURPOSE OF
STUDY.................................................................................................................................................3
THE POTENTIAL ETHICAL ISSUES AND HOW THE AUTHOR(S) ADDRESSED /
MANAGED THEM.............................................................................................................................4
HOW WELL THE AUTHOR(S) JUSTIFIED EACH STEP OF THEIR DATA COLLECTION AND
ANALYSIS APPROACH....................................................................................................................4
THE STEPS THAT WERE ADOPTED TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY AND IMPROVE
TRUSTWORTHINESS........................................................................................................................4

INTRODUCTION
Critical review can be defined as critically analyzing as well as evaluating the research study
(Writing a Critical Review, 2016). It basically involves from dissecting the information that has
been presented by the author. This may aid in reviewing the areas of purpose, methodology as well
as the findings that are a part of study (Planning a Critical Review, 2016). In order to carry out a
critical review of a research paper, there has been a use of sports pscyology topic. Sport psychology
can be defined as an interdisciplinary science that has made an attempt to draw knowledge from
many fields that include biomechanics, physiology, kinesiology and psychology (Weinberg and
Gould, 2010). It entails to carry out a study on how the presence of psychological factors affects
performance of the sportsperson on field (Green and Benjamin, 2009).
The paper selected for the same is toward a history of sport branding which is a peer-reviewed
study and has made usage of qualitative approach in order to assess the concept within Sport
Psychology. The present report is on carrying out a critique of the methods that has been adopted by
the chosen study. It further offers recommendations so as to make improvements in future research.
DESCRIPTION OF ARTICLE
Stephen Hardy, Brian Norman, Sarah Sceery, (2012) "Toward a history of sport branding", Vol. 4
Iss: 4, pp.482 – 509.
The present article is on reviewing as well as exploring the topics that are related to history of
branding in sport. The paper has thus made an attempt to understand the sport branding practices
that are adopted today. The paper further concluded that sports branding has a presence of long
history that is driven by entrepreneurs and organizations that is done through making rules, distinct
names as well as employing new technologies. The study has further identified a series of topics
whose research may inform the practitioners in the area of sport marketing.
THE CHOICE OF METHOD IN RELATION TO THE RESEARCH
QUESTION/PURPOSE OF STUDY
The research question formulated for the study is to explore the history of sports branding. In this
regard, the researcher has selected both secondary and primary sources so as to fulfill the purpose of
study. It can be said that making use of both the techniques is apt. This is as secondary data
collection will aid in analyzing the history of sports branding. While primary data will aid to know
the viewpoints of respondents on the same concept. The selected methods are completing apt with
the research question as well as the purpose on which the study is based. This is as the topic covers a

broad area being history of sport branding. Hence use of both the methods is likely to aid in
fulfilling the study purpose.
THE POTENTIAL ETHICAL ISSUES AND HOW THE AUTHOR(S)
ADDRESSED / MANAGED THEM
Research ethics can be defined as the set of rules that are important for researcher so as to
interpret, assess as well as apply rules followed by making decisions while carrying out a research
(Miller, Birch, Mauthner and Jessop, 2012). There was a presence of many ethical issues in the
study. These were related to enduring that there is no plagiarism in the file. The author must have
managed the issue by ensuring to rephrase the content and citing the direct quotes. In the same way,
it was also essential to take care that respondents are aware about the purpose of study. Hence, the
issue was addressed by telling the respondents about purpose of study (Guillemin and Gillam,
2004).
HOW WELL THE AUTHOR(S) JUSTIFIED EACH STEP OF THEIR DATA
COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS APPROACH
Data collection and analysis approach formulates a crucial part of any study. Data collection is all
about collecting appropriate information about the topic under consideration. While, Data analysis
is all about assessing as well as interpreting the information that has been collected by the
researchers.
The author lacks in the area of giving a proper justification as to why there has been a use of both
primary as well as secondary data sources. Neither was there any description about the use of data
analysis technique. Information is also not present with respect to the research design that is used in
the study. Research design if utilized could have acted as a blue print of the research. It could have
further informed the reader about the adequate data that is collected in accordance with the research
problem under consideration.
THE STEPS THAT WERE ADOPTED TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY AND
IMPROVE TRUSTWORTHINESS
In order to make the study transparent followed by improving its trustworthiness the author has
ensured to make use of eminent research journals as well as books. The online sources used by the
researcher are copyright. Articles not older than 2000 has been used. This has further added to the

overall relevancy as well as reliability factor of research study. The author has further ensured to
cite the text. Moreover, it has further been ensured by the researcher that
THE UTILITY OF THE APPROACH TO GLEAN INFORMATION THAT
WOULD OFFER ROBUST APPLIED IMPLICATIONS;
The appropriateness of the data representation to address the research question/purpose. The data
has been represented in an appropriate manner. The study thus started with abstract. The abstract
acted as a window to the entire study. This section was properly represented by making use of
headings and subheadings. Same applies to the study that proceeded with the abstract. The entire
study was made presentable by dividing it into various sections and subsections. Diagrams a well as
figures were also added wherever felt a necessity. The purpose of the study was also properly
defined. It clearly stated the paper is a review to explore the areas related to history of branding in
sport. The finding section also made an attempt to cover up all the areas. The study however lacked
in the recommendation section. There was also an absence of future research area that could have
focused on further research areas that can be done by other researchers. On a good note, the author
added a section of Originality/value. Here the section made an attempt to identify the series of
topics that merit the scrutiny of historians.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
After carrying out a review of the study for the given topic as well as critically reviewing the
articles it has been found that the author has made an attempt to make the paper quite presentable.
There has been a use of proper headings, subheadings, facts, figures and tables throughout the
study. However, the paper lags behind in the area of justifying as to why primary and secondary
research methods have been used.
In this regard, the need on part of author is to make improvements in the current study. Hence,
several recommendations can be suggested to the author on the same. The author is required to
provide a proper justification as to why a particular research technique or method has been used.
There is further a need to make use of mixed method design. The author in this context is required
to mix both quantitative and qualitative research so as to make an in-depth analysis of the topic. It
can further aid the author to assess the weakness that is present in case of individual methods.
However, the author is required to ensure towards a careful analysis on the kind of information that
is provided by every method. This is incisive of their strengths and weaknesses.

REFERENCES
Writing a Critical Review. 2016. [Online]. Available through:
<http://wwwdocs.fce.unsw.edu.au/fce/EDU/eduwritingcritreview.pdf> [Accessed on 13th January
2016].
Planning a Critical Review. 2016. [Online]. Available through:
<http://www.qmu.ac.uk/els/docs/Critical%20review.pdf> [Accessed on 13th January 2016].
Weinberg, R.S. and Gould, D., 2010. Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology. IL: Human
Kinetics.
Green, C.D. and Benjamin, L.T., 2009. Psychology gets in the game. NE: University of Nebraska
Press.
Miller, T., Birch, M., Mauthner, M. and Jessop, J., 2012. Ethics in qualitative research. Sage.
Guillemin, M. and Gillam, L., 2004. Ethics, reflexivity, and “ethically important moments” in
research. Qualitative inquiry. 10(2). pp.261-280.