Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
The advancement of the sports industry’s development constitutes a critical concern shared by regional authorities and the scholarly community, reflecting its significant role in economic and social development. This study employs a Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) methodology to examine the 31 provincial-level administrative units in China. The objective is to elucidate the influence of technological, organizational, and environmental factors on the industry’s development level, considering both a holistic national framework and dissected regional approaches (Eastern, Central, and Western China). This paper’s contribution to the literature is structured around the following core findings: (1) The study establishes that a singular condition does not suffice as an essential prerequisite for achieving a heightened development state within the sports industry. (2) At the national level, there are three pathways to enhance the development level of the sports industry, specifically identified as "network-human resources dominant pathway," "technological innovation-human resources dominant pathway," and "comprehensive synergistic pathway."(3) From a regional perspective, the Eastern region has two pathways for sports industry enhancement: "network-economic pathway" and "comprehensive synergistic pathway." The Central region follows a "technology pathway," while the Western region has three pathways: "organization-environment pathway," "network-organization-environment pathway," and "organization pathway."(4) The synthesis of these findings underscores the multifactorial nature of sports industry development, suggesting a paradigm where diverse routes can lead to equivalent outcomes. This heterogeneity indicates that provinces or regions can tailor their development strategies to their unique situational contexts.
Shi et al. (Tue,) studied this question.