Olga Correia
Development of sport innovation ecosystems: Models and catalysts
Olga is a trained Sports Manager and a doctoral researcher studying under the Institute for Sports Business at Loughborough University London. Her research focus is on sport innovation ecosystems, its different models and catalysts.
Prior to joining the Institute for Sports Business in October 2017, Olga moved from Brasil to the UK to expand her knowledge and gain international experience in a country with a well-developed and established sports market.
Olga completed two Master degree’s, the most recent in 2016 in Sport Management from Loughborough University, and prior to that, Sport Management and Marketing from the University of Brasilia, Brazil in 2014, where she also completed her undergraduate degree of Physical Education in 2012.
PhD research description
Olga’s research focuses on understanding how sport innovation ecosystems are created, maintained, and how they evolve. Her research will result in the creation of a ‘typology of best practice’ within sport innovation ecosystem models that will serve as a tool for those developing new sports innovation ecosystems in different locations, benefiting markets and stimulating growth.
The underpinning concepts in the research are “business ecosystems” and “innovation”. Both concepts are being applied to the sporting context. Several studies have proposed typologies and analysed different business ecosystems, but none have focused on sports business. Since the sports environment is complex and needs to be analysed in a holistic manner, the two main questions this research project seeks to address are:
- What are the different models used to create sport innovation ecosystems?
- What are the key catalysts that underpin the development of sport innovation ecosystems?
PhD supervisors
Olga studies for her PhD within the Institute for Sport Business.
Supervisors:
1st: Professor James Skinner
2nd: Professor Aaron Smith
3rd: Professor Michael Caine
Awards, grants or scholarships received
Olga’s first Master’s degree (2012 to 2014) was fully funded by the Brazilian Government through the CAPES Foundation. In 2015, Olga was awarded a Chevening Scholarship to undertake a Master’s programme in the UK. She was the first Brazilian student awarded an Olympic Legacy Chevening Scholarship offered by the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office in partnership with Loughborough University. In 2017, Olga was awarded a full scholarship to undertake a PhD course at Loughborough University London where she is currently based.