The quality of the educators as a key factor of the organizational success: the case of the "Masi" Sport Club.

The "Polisportiva Giovanni Masi" has been studied by our research group since the year 2010/11. The club is based in Casalecchio di Reno, a municipality of 38000 inhabitants bordering Bologna: it has more than 7.000 members, and a large array of services and activities implemented, resulting the leading organization for the local community. The research has been carried out with a special focus on the quality of the services provided, the main features of the general structure and the organizational processes, the interaction with public and private stakeholders, the level of satisfaction of the members, and the effects of changes occurring within the Italian sport system. The research, ideographic in nature, has been carried out within the case-study approach. Particularly, questionnaires with members (n=1100), in-depth interviews (n=11), focus groups (n=9), life histories (n=4) and observations have been interpolated. Results of the study show that Polisportiva Masi is recognized as a high quality organization both in terms of services for the member and in terms of organizational processes that are now undergoing a phase of sensitive development. The current follow-up study, based on a workshop and on three focus groups, highlights that several organizational processes have started, in a measure due to the results of the research. The main factors of the high degree of the members' satisfaction for the provided services (very good=12,7%, good=77,6% of the respondent) are the relationship with the sports educators/coaches/instructors (very satisfied=58,9%, satisfied=27,8%) and the assessment of their professional competences (very good=43,4%, good=40,7%). These data, which highlight as the success of the organization is, above all, linked to the quality of the didactics, are deeply rooted in the history of the Sports Club. Masi, in fact, has been within the first associations to propose psychomotricity classes in 1975 and formation courses with A. Lapierre in 1980, as well as baby swimming; rendered the formation mandatory in 1986/87; has invested in high quality formation throughout courses and cultural events; has organized volunteering community based educational and social services; is provided with an educational internal agreement; is strongly committed in maintaining and updating the founding values. These are the background elements leading to the high level of members' satisfaction towards the educators, 50% Physical Education or Sport Sciences graduated, and, through them, towards the entire organization. Our research proves that, in the investigated case, the valorisation and actualization of the history and the investment in formation are key determinants of the organizational success.