What Truly Matters to Project Managers in Sport? Value Orientations in Practice

Abstract

The study analyses the value orientations of project managers operating in the sports sector and examines their relationship to perceived project success. Based on Schwartz’s theory of basic human values, it integrates the framework of value-based leadership. Using a quantitative design (Schwartz Value Survey), data from 82 project managers in Czech and Slovak sport organizations were analyzed. The findings reveal dominance of benevolence, universalism, and achievement values, fostering team trust, prosocial behavior, and ethical decision-making. A positive correlation between self-transcendence values and project success was confirmed, while performance-oriented values improved short-term results but reduced team cohesion. The study highlights the importance of value alignment between managers, teams, and organizations as a foundation of sustainable sport project management.