Sportsponsoring als Instrument zur Gestaltung einer attraktiven Arbeitgebermarke

Abstract

In today's corporate world, the competition for qualified professionals is more intense than ever. Employer branding has emerged as a crucial instrument to position companies successfully in the “war for talents”. Innovative approaches, such as sports sponsorship, are gaining importance. Originally used as a marketing tool to enhance brand awareness and perception, sports sponsorship can also offer significant potential for strengthening the employer brand. Through the emotional connection of target audiences to sports events and teams, companies can increase their attractiveness as employers and foster a positive corporate image. This bachelor’s thesis examines the theory behind the concepts of sports sponsorship and employer branding, analyzing how companies and experts in this field perceive the potential of sports sponsorship for building an attractive employer brand. It investigates the extent to which sports sponsorship measures are already being applied in practice for employer branding. This bachelor’s thesis is structured into three main theoretical chapters. The first chapter establishes the theoretical foundation for understanding sports sponsorship. The second chapter addresses the key aspects of employer branding. The third main chapter intertwines the two concepts and analyzes existing studies on sports sponsorship as a method of employer branding. Following the theoretical chapters, the empirical part of the thesis presents findings from interviews with experts conducted to gain deeper insights into corporate practices and inspirations for using sports sponsorship in employer branding. These interviews were evaluated using Mayring’s qualitative content analysis, with the results synthesized in the final content chapter of the thesis. The results of the literature review and interviews demonstrate that sports sponsorship as a method in employer branding offers both internal and external advantages. It enhances a company's visibility and positive image, instils pride and a sense of community, and thereby supports the recruitment of new talent and the retention of existing employees. Through offerings such as tickets to sporting events or team excursions to sponsored events, a financial and emotional value is created for employees. Sports sponsorship enables companies to position themselves as attractive employers and to promote values such as team spirit, cohesion, and performance. Overall, it is evident that sports sponsorship is a promising tool for creating a differentiated and appealing employer brand, which is crucial in the competition for talent and workforce.

Date of Award	2024
Original language	German (Austria)
Supervisor	René Riedl (Supervisor)