An examination of factors effecting team players' satisfaction and intent to stay with the team by using input-process-output model

The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that have impact, on the satisfaction and intention to stay of team players by using input-process-output model. The research data were obtained from 25 teams which are competing in İzmir province. Athletes? age range varied from 18 to 38. The distribution of athletes in branches are 155 football, 82 basketball, 62 voleyball, 34 handball and 27 water polo, totaling 360 (283 male and 77 female) amateur and professional team players. In this research, the relationship among team cohesion, intra team communication, team norm, athlete satisfaction and athletes? intention o stay in teams were examined for setting a team effectiveness model for sports teams. Furthermore, interrelations between cohesion, communication, norm, player?s satisfaction, player?s intent to stay behaviours and demographic variables, such as sex, age, branch, being lisensed (registered) player, playing at the same team and exercising periods were examined. In the research, Team Environment Questionnaire was used to assess team cohesion. This questionnaire, which was developed by Carron, Widmeyer and Brawley (1985), was adapted in to Turkish in 2006 by Öcel and Aydın. In the evaluation stage of team norm, Team Norm Questionnaire that was developed by Carron, Prapavessis and Estrabrooks (1999), was used. In measuring of communication level among team players Sullivan and Short?s (2011) Scale for Effective Communication in Team Sports (SECTS) was used. In the assessment of players satisfaction, Athlete Satisfaction Questionnaire (ASQ) which was developed by Chelladurai and Riemer (1997) and was adapted in to Turkish by İnce (2006) was used. In case of determining the intention of staying behaviours among team players, Tepeci?s (2005) Intent to Stay Questionnaire for work teams was adapted for sports teams and used in this research. In data analysis, SPSS 16.0 packet program was used for descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, t-test and kruskal-wallis tests and LISREL 8.51 packet program was used for confirmatory factor analysis and path analysis. In case of verifying research model, Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used. As the results of the research, direct and indirect affects of team cohesion, intra team communication and team norm on player?s satisfaction and intention of staying behaviours were found. As the consequences of these results, in case of increasing the satisfaction of players and intention of staying behaviours, suggestions about providing team cohesion, generating team norms and stimulating the interaction and developing the communication channels were made. Besides, statistically significant relations were found between demographic variables and team cohesion, intra team communication, team norm, player satisfaction and intention of staying behaviour. Players? intention of staying behaviours were differed according to gender and sport branches. In case of examining the branches, water polo has the highest scores in team cohesion, intra team communication, team norm, player satisfaction and intention of staying behaviour.