نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی
نویسندگان
1 گروه علوم ورزشی، دانشکده ادبیات و علوم انسانی، دانشگاه قم، قم، ایران
2 گروه علوم ورزشی، دانشکده علوم انسانی، واحد قم، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، قم، ایران
چکیده
کلیدواژهها
موضوعات
عنوان مقاله [English]
نویسندگان [English]
Introduction: The contemporary era is unequivocally defined by digital transformation and the pervasive influence of smart technologies across all dimensions of human life. Artificial Intelligence (AI), as one of the most advanced and impactful technologies of the twenty-first century, is rapidly redefining work processes, organizational structures, and service delivery methods across various sectors, including sports. AI can play a critical role in improving organizational performance, enhancing service quality, and providing innovative solutions in the context of sports and youth affairs. However, the adoption of AI in sports organizations, particularly in developing countries and culturally specific contexts such as Qom province in Iran, faces significant challenges. The attitudes of managers and employees toward this technology represent one of the most important challenges, as attitudes can profoundly influence the rate of adoption and effective use of new technologies. Previous research has revealed contradictory findings regarding attitudinal differences between managers and non-managerial employees, with some studies reporting more positive attitudes among managers due to their strategic perspective, while others highlight heightened fears of job displacement and ethical concerns among frontline staff. Despite the growing body of literature on AI adoption, most existing studies have focused on private sector organizations in developed countries, leaving a significant research gap regarding public sports organizations in developing nations.
Aim: This study aimed to investigate the attitudes of managers and employees in the Sports and Youth Department of Qom Province toward adopting artificial intelligence to improve organizational performance. The research sought to determine the levels of awareness, overall attitude, organizational readiness for implementing smart technologies, and the relationship between attitudes toward AI and organizational performance within this specific public sector context.
Methods: The study employed a descriptive-survey research design of a correlational type. The statistical population consisted of all managers and employees of the Qom Provincial Sports and Youth Department (N=280). A census sampling method was used, resulting in a sample of 210 participants. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire based on established technology acceptance models, including the Attitudes Toward AI in Public Organizations scale (ATAI-S) developed by Mikalef and Gupta (2023) and the Organizational Performance Questionnaire for Sports Organizations (OPQ-S) developed by Walters and Tacon (2023). The validity and reliability of the instruments were confirmed through content validity assessment and confirmatory factor analysis, with Cronbach's alpha coefficients of 0.91 for the ATAI-S scale and 0.87 for the OPQ-S questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using both descriptive and inferential statistics, including one-sample t-tests, independent samples t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with Partial Least Squares (PLS) approach using SPSS version 26 and SmartPLS version 4. The significance level was set at 0.05 for all analyses.
Results: The findings revealed a generally favorable attitude toward AI adoption among the participants, with the dimension of perceived usefulness receiving the highest average score (4.7 out of 5). A significant positive correlation was identified between the attitude toward AI and organizational performance (r=0.65, p<0.01), with the AI acceptance construct explaining 42% of the variance in organizational performance. Furthermore, a significant difference in attitudes was observed between managers and employees (t=3.21, p<0.01), with managers holding more positive attitudes. Significant differences were also found based on education level, where higher education was associated with more positive attitudes (F=4.32, p<0.05), while no significant gender differences were found. The overall level of organizational readiness was assessed as moderate (mean=58.7 out of 100), indicating significant potential for growth alongside existing challenges. Technical and infrastructure challenges were identified as the primary barriers to AI adoption. The Goodness-of-Fit (GOF) index was calculated as 0.51, which is above the critical value of 0.36, indicating a strong model fit.
Conclusion: This study concludes that although managers and employees of the Qom Provincial Sports and Youth Department hold generally positive attitudes toward AI adoption, successful implementation requires comprehensive and multidimensional planning. The positive foundation of attitudes, particularly regarding perceived usefulness, represents a valuable opportunity for the organization. However, the moderate level of organizational readiness, especially concerning technical infrastructure and workforce skills, indicates that substantial investment is needed before widespread AI deployment. The significant attitudinal gap between managers and employees suggests that change management programs should be designed to bridge this gap. The strong positive relationship between AI attitudes and organizational performance confirms that investment in AI can lead to improved performance indicators. Gradual implementation of AI with prioritization of low-cost, high-return projects is recommended to translate positive attitudes into tangible organizational performance improvements. This approach can help build trust and increase acceptance among employees while ensuring sustainable organizational transformation.
کلیدواژهها [English]
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