Reconsidering the multi-sports club business model: designing effective new strategies in the face of environmental changes

Purpose – This paper aims to discuss the importance of reconsidering the business model in the\r\norganizations, to ensure success over time. The paper lies on the analysis and development of the\r\nstrategies of ten “Societa` ” Canottieri’ – multi-sports clubs in Northern Italy.\r\nDesign/methodology/approach – The strategies of these clubs have been studied via detailed\r\ninterviews, as well as data and document analysis. Subsequently, two workshops with the management\r\nof the clubs were carried out, to collect evidence of the challenges to their sustainability and to identify\r\npossible strategies to overcome these challenges.\r\nFindings – Drawing on Osterwalder’s Business Model Canvas framework and Demil et Lecocq’s\r\napproach to business model (a Penrosian approach about the on-going dimension of change as a\r\npermanent state of organization), the paper describes how recently emerging issues (external and\r\ninternal changes) have challenged the traditional business model of these clubs. Finally, authors\r\nidentify specific actions necessary to (re)create a new value proposition and to modify the sports clubs’\r\norganization in the future, to assure sustainability and success.\r\nOriginality/value – Currently, business model analysis within contexts of (apparent) no economic\r\nvalue creation still remains a relatively unexplored field. The paper describes an effective methodology\r\nto implement the business model analysis into a group of independent non-profit organizations. To\r\nimplement this analysis, the authors adopted the model of Business Model Canvas, but using a\r\ntransformational and dynamic approach.