Examining General Managers in the North American Professional Sport Context: Upper Echelons and Logics of Action as Determinants of Performance.

Abstract

This study integrates and extends the literature on upper echelons theory (UET) and institutional theory by investigating general manager (GM) strategic decision making in the North American professional sport context. This research examines individual contextual variables and the institutional environment in each league as they impact the human resource (HR) decision making tendencies of GMs. Through the application of UET and institutional theory, a model is developed which posits that individual GM attributes shape their strategic decision making with respect to athlete resource acquisitions which subsequently impacts organizational performance on the competitive field of play. Data on a 13-year sample of GMs are collected and analyzed to test hypotheses predicting relationships between GM tenure, functional experience, technical experience, age and organizational performance. Concurrently, data on individual logics of action proposed to act as contingencies in the GM – HR decision making relationship are collected and tested as moderator variables. Implications of this research are discussed for both academic research and practice. Future directions for UET research in the sport context are suggested.