Developing a Paradigmatic Model for Track and Field Development in Iraq: A Grounded Theory Approach
Murtadha Abdulabbas deiri alasadi
;
Abbas Naghizadeh-Baghi
*
;
Nasrin Azizian Kohan
,
Merdad Moharramzadeh
This qualitative study developed a paradigmatic model for track and field development in Iraq. Track and field is a foundational Olympic discipline with potential to strengthen public health, youth development, sport culture, international representation, and sport diplomacy. However, its development in Iraq has been constrained by managerial instability, financial limitations, weak infrastructure, insufficient human resources, limited school-based talent identification, socio-cultural barriers, and political-security disruptions. Using the grounded theory approach of Strauss and Corbin, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 experts, including national and age-group coaches, Iraqi Athletics Federation officials, university faculty members, and international referees. Participants were selected through purposive and snowball sampling until theoretical saturation was reached. Data were analyzed in MAXQDA through open, axial, and selective coding. The analysis produced 177 open codes, 34 axial codes, and five selective categories. The final model included causal conditions, contextual conditions, intervening conditions, strategies, and consequences. Causal conditions consisted of managerial and financial challenges, infrastructure and human-resource limitations, and education and talent-development challenges. Contextual conditions comprised cultural-social, structural-demographic, and economic-organizational factors. Intervening conditions included political-security and temporary managerial-institutional influences. The proposed strategies included governance reform, human-resource development, talent identification, international engagement, media promotion, technology use, and infrastructure expansion. Expected outcomes included health and sport development, cultural and social development, economic and infrastructural development, and political-international development. The model indicates that sustainable track and field development in Iraq requires integrated intervention across governance, finance, education, culture, infrastructure, and international cooperation.
Designing a Policy Implementation Model for Drug Control(A Collaborative Governance Approach)
Participatory approaches provide a basis for the presence of citizens alongside governments in policy implementation and in the resolution of social problems. Because drug control is rooted in a deeply social context, it has substantial potential for the use of participatory approaches. Accordingly, the present study aimed to design a model for implementing drug control policies through a collaborative governance approach. The research used both qualitative and quantitative procedures and combined inductive and deductive reasoning. In terms of purpose, it was applied; in terms of nature and method, it was descriptive-survey. The statistical population consisted of 18 experts and informed specialists on the subject who were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews in the qualitative phase and through a questionnaire in the quantitative phase. Qualitative data were classified using grounded theory, and the quantitative phase validated the model through the fuzzy Delphi technique. Transferability in the qualitative phase was supported through systematic coding, and confirmability was strengthened through documentation and archiving of different coding stages, including initial coding. In the quantitative phase, reliability was assessed by the test-retest method and validity was examined through content validity. The qualitative findings produced 140 initial codes, 38 concepts, and 17 categories, which were positioned within the Strauss and Corbin grounded theory paradigm model. Based on the findings, the study recommends promoting civic demand-making in educational settings, emphasizing problem-oriented, legally aware, and contemporary civic education, conducting workshops on associational life, teaching principles of fairness, intergenerational responsibility and respect for human dignity, and implementing small-scale civic projects.
A Thematic Model of Effective Coaching Skills Training for Sports Coaches in Tehran Province: A Qualitative Study
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Coach education is often treated mainly as technical instruction, although coaches also require communication, leadership, emotional self-regulation, reflective learning, ethical judgment, and contextual awareness. This qualitative study developed a thematic model of effective coaching skills training for sports coaches in Tehran Province. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 participants, including active coaches, sport education and sport management specialists, and academic experts in coach development. Participants were selected through purposive and snowball sampling until data adequacy was judged to have been reached. Data were analysed using a codebook-oriented thematic analysis informed by Braun and Clarke's six-phase procedure. The analysis generated eight themes: specialist and scientific coaching knowledge, communication and interpersonal skills, leadership and team-management competencies, emotional intelligence and self-regulation, experiential learning and reflection, career-path management and professional development, technology and innovative educational approaches, and contextual, cultural, and organizational factors. The model should be interpreted as a conceptual organization of interview-derived themes rather than as a tested causal model. The findings suggest that coach education in this context should move beyond short technical courses and include structured, continuous, reflective, ethically informed, and context-sensitive professional development. Potential implications for athlete-supportive practice and sport governance are discussed cautiously because athlete outcomes and governance effectiveness were not directly measured. |
Formulation and Determination of the Strengths, Weaknesses, Threats, and Opportunities Governing Swimming in Iraq
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The present study aimed to formulate and determine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats governing children’s swimming in Iraq in order to provide practical strategies for the development of this fundamental and medal-winning sport. This applied descriptive-analytical study included sport managers, coaches, young swimmers, and physical education students in Iraq. A total of 134 participants were selected purposively. Data were collected through documentary studies, expert interviews, and a researcher-made questionnaire. The face and content validity of the questionnaire were confirmed, and its reliability, measured by Cronbach’s alpha, ranged from 0.85 to 0.92. Descriptive statistics, the Friedman test, Internal and External Factor Evaluation matrices, the Internal-External matrix, and SWOT analysis were used for data analysis. The results showed a significant difference among the four SWOT factors. The most important strengths included the existence of educational institutions related to physical education, the presence of specialized sport managers, and the existence of talented children and adolescents. The most important weaknesses included insufficient attention to children’s needs and interests, limited access to standard facilities, and lack of financial resources. The existence of potential talents, increased participation of children in sport activities, and expansion of sport events were identified as the most important opportunities. In addition, the increased cost of swimming pool maintenance, the rising price of equipment, and children’s tendency toward sedentary leisure activities were among the most important threats. Based on SWOT analysis, 11 strategies were formulated in four groups: aggressive, competitive, conservative, and defensive. The development of children’s swimming in Iraq requires strategic planning, coordination among sport and educational institutions, sustainable investment, and serious attention to children’s age-related needs. It is suggested that establishing an integrated talent identification system, training specialized coaches, and standardizing equipment and swimming pools for children should be prioritized in executive programs. |
A Progress-Oriented Assessment Model for Physical Literacy in Secondary School Physical Education: A Grounded Theory Study
Conventional assessment in school physical education frequently privileges short-term physical performance and fixed motor benchmarks. Such practices may underrepresent the cognitive, affective, and developmental dimensions that are central to physical literacy. This study aimed to develop a context-sensitive, progress-oriented assessment model for secondary school physical education based on the paradigm of physical literacy. A qualitative grounded theory design was used. Sixteen experts in curriculum studies and physical education were selected through purposive and snowball sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed through open, axial, and selective coding in MAXQDA. Trustworthiness was addressed through member checking, peer debriefing, audit-trail documentation, and constant comparison. The analysis generated 58 initial codes, 9 subcategories, and 3 overarching categories. The core phenomenon was the establishment of holistic, formative, and progress-oriented assessment. The model comprised causal conditions, including the need to broaden the goals of physical education; contextual conditions, including quantitative grading structures and unequal school infrastructure; intervening conditions, including the absence of formal protocols and the dominance of entrance-exam culture; strategies, including standardized rubrics, ipsative assessment, portfolios, self-assessment, peer assessment, and descriptive feedback; and expected consequences, including fairer grading, stronger teacher accountability, holistic student development, and increased physical self-efficacy. The proposed model reframes assessment from a mechanism for ranking students to a pedagogical process that supports learning, inclusion, and lifelong active living. A preliminary 60-20-20 weighting structure is proposed, with 60% allocated to psychomotor performance, 20% to cognitive knowledge, and 20% to affective-social competence. The weighting requires empirical validation, and implementation requires formal assessment protocols, teacher professional development, and infrastructure-sensitive interpretation of student progress.
Design and Development of the Strategic Plan of the Handball Federation of Iran
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The present study is classified as qualitative research in terms of research method. Regarding its objective, this research is applied, and considering the nature of the subject, it falls within the field of strategic studies. In terms of data collection method, the present study is a combination of field studies and a descriptive–analytical approach. The statistical population of the quantitative section included 580 coaches, players, referees, and related staff members; the sample size was estimated at 234 individuals based on the Krejcie and Morgan table, and participants were selected through stratified random sampling. The data collection instruments included the review of documents as well as library and internet resources, semi-structured interviews with managers and experts associated with the Handball Federation of Iran, and a researcher-made questionnaire. To prioritize the factors, the Friedman test was applied, followed by the Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) and External Factor Evaluation (EFE) matrices within the framework of SWOT analysis. The findings indicated that the EFE score was 2.44 and the IFE score was 2.48; therefore, the strategic position of the Federation was located in the WT quadrant, indicating the necessity of adopting defensive strategies to reduce weaknesses and mitigate the effects of threats. Accordingly, a set of strategies was formulated in four categories: SO, WO, ST, and WT. The results of this study demonstrated that the Handball Federation of Iran needs to focus on reducing internal weaknesses and addressing environmental threats in order to improve its position. Implementing the proposed strategies in the areas of infrastructure improvement, human resource development, and strengthening international interactions can facilitate the path toward growth and enhanced performance of the Federation. |
Meritocracy in the Selection of Senior Physical Education Managers in the Ministry of Education
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The objective of this study was to identify the factors affecting the merit-based selection of senior physical education managers in the national Ministry of Education. The present study was mixed-methods research (qualitative–quantitative) with an exploratory approach. The statistical population in the qualitative phase consisted of all experts in the research field (senior physical education managers of the Ministry of Education, faculty members familiar with the research literature, and specialists), while the quantitative phase included physical education managers and teachers in metropolitan areas of the country. The statistical sample in the qualitative phase consisted of 18 experts selected until theoretical saturation was achieved using purposive theoretical sampling and snowball sampling techniques. In the quantitative phase, considering that 5 to 10 samples were required for each item, a total of 384 individuals constituted the statistical sample. The data collection instruments included a semi-structured interview in the qualitative phase and a researcher-made questionnaire in the quantitative phase. Content validity was assessed based on expert opinions, and construct validity (exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses), composite reliability indices, Cronbach’s alpha, divergent and convergent validity, and structural equation modeling were employed. The model fit index was reported as GOF = 0.43. Finally, eight factors were identified: merit-oriented governance, professional ethics in power, transformational leadership in physical education, structural justice in access to opportunities, commitment to educational–health missions, professional autonomy in decision-making, intelligent resource management, and the organizational–cultural identity of managers. Therefore, the development and implementation of a “transparent system for managerial evaluation and appointment” based on objective merit indicators (such as professional competence, ethical commitment, and resource management capability), along with continuous supervision by independent monitoring bodies to prevent the influence of informal networks, is recommended. |
Designing a Competency Model for Negotiators of International Sports Contracts (Case Study: Football)
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The purpose of this study was to design a competency model for negotiators of international football contracts. The present study was an applied developmental study conducted using a mixed-methods approach (qualitative-quantitative). The statistical population included experts, specialists, faculty members, and managers of Premier League football clubs. In the qualitative section, participants were selected using purposive and snowball sampling, and theoretical saturation was achieved with 16 participants. In the quantitative section, football-association experts, sports-law specialists, and experienced football experts familiar with sports negotiation participated. To ensure research validity, the researchers considered prolonged and continuous engagement, persistent observation, peer review, progressive subjectivity, participant involvement, and the use of multiple sources of information. Qualitative analyses were conducted through manual coding, and quantitative analyses were conducted using Expert Choice software. The results of the final coding of the interviews showed that negotiation skill, personal competency, knowledge competency, communication competency, analytical thinking and decision-making, lawfulness and legal compliance, and marketing capabilities were the main themes identified in the professional competency of international football negotiators. The prioritization of competency themes was as follows: negotiation skill, with a relative weight of 0.298, ranked first; personal competency, with a relative weight of 0.266, ranked second; and analytical thinking and decision-making, with a relative weight of 0.160, ranked third. These were followed by knowledge competency, lawfulness and legal compliance, communication competency, and marketing capabilities. |
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Journal of Foresight and Health Governance is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal dedicated to advancing knowledge in the field of public health with a future-oriented perspective. The journal provides a platform for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to explore emerging trends, innovations, and strategic solutions aimed at improving health outcomes at the individual, community, and societal levels. By integrating foresight methodologies with public health research, the journal seeks to anticipate future challenges, inform policy decisions, and promote sustainable healthcare systems.
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Current Issue
Vol. 3 No. 2 (2026): Serial Number 8
Published:
2026-06-18
