How digitalisation and artificial intelligence can create competitive advantages : best practice applied to strategic business management within professional team sports companies
| dc.contributor.advisor | Bergsiek, Professor Micha | |
| dc.contributor.advisor | Morrow, Professor Stephen | |
| dc.contributor.author | Steinberg, Daniel | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-02-13T15:37:02Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025-08 | |
| dc.description | This research explores how digitalisation can create competitive advantages in strategic management, both across industries and through its application in professional team sports. As data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) can be considered the central component of most digitalisation efforts, the study focuses on these two digital technologies. While digitalisation has become a priority across industries, a lack of definitional clarity still exists. Additionally, there remains a gap in the literature related to contextualising both the opportunities and limitations of digitalisation within a resource-based view and gaining competitive advantages by better decision-making. Furthermore, in relation to professional team sports, there is a gap in the academic literature regarding the role of data analytics and AI in decision-making within business functions (‘off-pitch’). Consequently, based on practical cross-industry examples, the research findings are applied to strategic ‘off-pitch’ business management. The research adopts a qualitative, abductive approach rooted in critical realism. The research purpose combines descriptive and exploratory types. Following a critical literature review, 20 in-depth expert interviews were conducted. Thematic analysis was applied to synthesise the findings, and eleven key themes were defined, with four having cross-industry relevance and seven focusing on sports analytics. By addressing four defined research questions, the study contributes theoretically by offering definitional clarity and linking strategic management theory with digitalisation. The study’s main practical contribution lies in providing a set of best practice examples to create a positive business impact, along with suggestions for overcoming potential limitations. Consequently, the work aims to serve as a ‘one-stop-shop’ for business leaders seeking to leverage data analytics and AI in professional team sports and beyond. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://www.ros.hw.ac.uk/handle/10399/5301 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Edinburgh Business School | |
| dc.title | How digitalisation and artificial intelligence can create competitive advantages : best practice applied to strategic business management within professional team sports companies |