Understanding cross-cultural interactions and diversity in professional sports organizations: the case of football and forced migration in Germany and Italy

Abstract

Research questions: With an increasing number of people forced to flee their homes across the world, sport has been frequently discussed as a tool to promote social cohesion and well-being for both forced migrants and local communities. Nonetheless, the topic has been frequently discussed through exclusive ‘sport for development’, ‘social integration’ or ‘sport participation’ lenses, with a lack of research concerning the wider role sport may have for refugee resettlement, particularly concerning employment. To address this gap, this research explores the cross-cultural interactions occurring within the sport workplace across different levels of competitive European football leagues. Research methods: The research draws from 38 interviews conducted with purposefully selected actors in Italian and German professional football, analysed qualitatively through an iterative process of thematic analysis. Results and findings: Focusing on the workplace environment of football clubs, the thematic analysis reveals that: (a) Common performance objectives are the primary shaper of athlete-employer interaction; (b) Cross-cultural hostilities are either overcome or accepted through the competitive logic of sport; (c) Cross-cultural facilitation is seen as functional towards gaining a competitive advantage on the pitch. Implications: While overcoming cultural barriers in the workplace presents positive aspects benefitting athletes and clubs, the same competitive logic may exclude forced migrants upon their arrival into host countries. The paper provides implications for strength-based perspectives in refugees and sport studies, as well as for sport organizations to reflect on the wider benefits of cross-cultural interactions and diversity management.