Classical approaches in sports organizations focus on efficiency, specialization, standardization, and predictability. Some key principles of classical organization include: strict hierarchy and vertical communication; each employee receiving orders from one supervisor; activities sharing similar goals falling under one supervisor; assigning limited, specialized tasks to employees; order and structure; and managers controlling a limited number of employees. Communication is also formal and flows downward along the organizational hierarchy.

1. Classical Approaches In The Sports Industry
By: Joseph Okaiye

2. What is a Classical Approach
• The classical approach is a formal thought that is mainly
concerned with the efficiency of workers and organizations
based on management practices, which are the outcome of
careful observation.
• The Classical Approach mainly looks for the universal
principles of operation in the striving for economic efficiency.

3. Article Summary
• Risk is an integral element of
sport. Sport without risk, or
any type of management
would cease to be sport,
period. The unique aspect of
sport must be factored into
any discussion of
management within sport
facilities, programs and
events.

4. The Machine Metaphor
• According to Katherine Miller, the
Machine Metaphor is central to
classical organizations, in terms of
management, specialization,
standardization, and predictability.
The notion, is that we can learn
something about how organizations
operate by considering a disparate
object that an organization
resembles.

5. Specialization
• For younger people that are under the age of 15, specialization in sing
sport activities is much more often associated with developmental risks
than rewards.
• Positive physical, psychological and social development is more likely to
occur when young people participate in multiple sport activities, as well as
informal activities.
• When we see organizations as machines, we see the same kind of
specialization that requires a car engine to function properly. The
specialization of tasks, often times called the division of labor, helps
illustrate ways in which organizational functioning is seen as machine-like.

6. Standardization
• Everyone is replaceable. This
fundamental truth underlies modern
organizational life. When we leave,
another will take our place and do our
job, differently, but the job will still get
done.
• If someone gets sick and cannot
perform their duties assigned, another
will come in and clean up the job. Point
blank, modern life cannot afford
indispensible people.
• Sports help engrave this truth for all to
be known and shown.

7. Standardization Cont.
• A player goes down in a game, and
another one comes trotting in, onto the
field and takes his or her place.
Someone is having a bad game and the
coach decides to take them out of the
competition, allowing a substitute to
take the place of the athlete.
Sometimes replacing the athlete that’s
injured, penalized, or taken out, does
more harm than good.
• Sometimes they excel under all of the
pressure and replace you, having done
their apprenticeship and taking
advantage of the opportunity.
• When conceptualizing organizations as
machines, the same principle holds for
the human “parts” that work in the
organization.

8. Predictability
• Humans, machines, organizations all
become predictable overtime. There
are rules that govern the way a
machine is built, how humans function,
and how organizations are being run.
An organization conceived as a machine
has the same qualities as being
dysfunctional from time to time.

9. Principles of Organizational Structure

10. Scalar Chain
• An organization should be arranged in a strict vertical hierarchy, and that
communication should be largely limited to this vertical flow, moving up
and down the organization.
• In the sports setting, you have your franchise/team owners, general
managers, presidents/vice presidents, executives, coaches, players, etc.

11. Unity of Command
• An employee should receive orders
regarding a particular task from only
one supervisor.
• As an athlete, your responsibility at
the end of the day is to play your
game, and respond to the
orders/actions of your coach. The
coach is the only one who should be
giving the orders and direction of
what the team should be, and what
they shouldn’t do. When you don’t
have that foundation of established
unity of command, there is no
structure and no accountability for
athletes and order.

12. Unity of Direction
• Activities having similar goals should be
placed under a single supervisor. Team
members all work together toward
accomplishing a common goal, using the
same plan to reach the shared objective.
• Without direction, there is no focus,
without focus there's no accomplishment.
Organizations leaders, team captains,
managers, etc. Should have a vision and a
sense of direction that enables their
employees, followers and athletes to
follow along on the vision their head
oversees for them.

13. Division of Labor
• Work can best be accomplished if employees
are assigned to a limited number of
specialized tasks.
• Its crucial to give everyone their fair share of
tasks, helping share equality, specialization
and direction within organizations.
• It is possible to multitask, but with
multitasking comes reduced qualities with
the tasks originally assigned. By having
employees, athletes and team members
assigned to one task at a time, the quality
starts to trump the quantity. And I’m not
sure about others out there, but quality
speaks to me more than quantity.

14. Order
• There should be an appointed place for each employee and task within
the organization.
• Without order, there's no sense of belonging and that can harm
companies/organizations tremendously.

15. Span of Control
• Managers will be most effective if
they have control of a limited
number of employees. A limit of
twenty to thirty employees for first
level managers and six employees for
higher-level managers.
• Having any more than what's
suggested as far as employees,
athletes on a team go, it becomes
impossible to attend to everyone's
concerns, needs and placement. No
set goals get accomplished, structure
is thrown out the window.
• Having control, pursues growth.

16. Direction of Communication Flow
• The most important route for communication is the vertical flow of
information, along the scalar chain of organizational hierarchy.
• The vast majority of communication in organizations flow downward, seen
as in the form of orders, rules, and directives.
• There is little feedback that moves upward from lower-level employees to
higher-level management.

17. Style of Communication
• More than likely, the tone or style of communication will be highly formal,
as you work your way up the organizational ladder. The vocabulary chosen
for messages will tend to avoid slang terms, opting for highly standardized
language.
• The formality of communication style in a classical organization could also
be seen in nonverbal communication.
• The bureaucratic and professionalized climate of these organizations, lead
to sterile and formal styles of communication.

18. Communication, Performance, Growth, Brand, Success.

19. Work Cited
• Miller, Katherine, Daniel Ryan, and Erin Porter. Organizational
Communication. Approaches and Processes. N.p.: n.p., 2002. Print.
• "Sports Management Resources." Key Elements and Best Practices in the
Development of Academic Support Programs. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2016.
• "Point of the Game." : Sports Ethics: Being Replaceable. N.p., n.d. Web. 01
Apr. 2016.