Introduction
Although it is a general agreement that the sport is an important part of the culture and that, in moderation, physical exercises have a positive effect on people’s health, the support of athleticism is not quite pronounced among modern audiences. The population of Abu Dhabi is no exception to the specified observation (Harris & Wise, 2017). However, the Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC) has the power to change people’s minds by using creativity and innovative thinking to make physical activities appealing to the target audience. By using creative approaches to build a community where a healthy lifestyle is supported by all participants and where exercises are seen as one of the tools for fostering communication and unity, the ADSC will be able to encourage athleticism.
The goal of the paper is to adopt the methods of creative thinking and use innovative approaches to prompt a change in the perception of the sport among Abu Dhabi residents. To remain healthy, people need to view physical exercises as not a chore but an inseparable and pleasant part of their daily routine. Therefore, the use of tools for expanding the organization’s media reach and the strategies for appealing to different types of the population are required to improve the general attitude toward sports, as well as encourage people to engage in sport-related activities (Proctor, 2014).
The specified task can be implemented by using a creative approach toward promoting change. Specifically, technological innovations should be utilized to create a sense of community among Abu Dhabi residents. The specified impression of unity and collaboration can be used to build a strong community, where participants would support each other, share their experiences, and engage in sport-related activities.
The specified change is bound to result in a rapid rise of enthusiasm toward physical activities and a healthy lifestyle, in general, among Abu Dhabi citizens. Furthermore, the focus on communication and user autonomy in creating a community of people interested in the sport will help promote the successful management of possible confrontations and misunderstandings among its members (Proctor, 2014).
Furthermore, the use of a creative approach and application of technological innovations will allow boosting the performance of athletes, as well as reinforce ethical values and principles based on which sports activities should take place. Seeking new ways of engaging in sports and excelling in athletic performance will help build a consistent interest in the sport and encourage athletes to maintain their enthusiasm. Thus, the sport as a concept will be imbedded with meaning and become not only a popular pastime but also an important part of people’s lives.
Theories of Creativity
The theories of creativity are numerous and diverse, offering one to explore the subject matter from different angles. Consequently, applying a single creativity theory to manage a particular problem is most likely to result in designing a one-sided approach. For this reason, it will be necessary to embrace several theoretical frameworks. Cognitive theories should be the center of attention when considering the change in the existing policies regarding the sport.
Particularly, since it is needed to help people be more proactive in terms of both physical activities and support of their sports teams, the use of the metacognitive approach may be required. Thus, one will be able to develop an intrinsic understanding of why people are intrigued by the sport and engage in competitions and physical activities (Herrmann-Pillath, 2017).
Also, the subject matter needs to be explored from an economic perspective. Given the expenses associated with the purchase of IT devices and the use of innovative approaches, it will be necessary to define what drives people to purchase tickets to see sports events and buy related merchandise. The Investment Theory of Creativity suggested by Florida will provide a complementary framework for studying the nature of creativity and its application to the sports domain (Merrotsy, 2017).
Finally, one will have to consider the Systems Theory of creativity. The proposed approach allows encompassing several areas of analysis and considers the phenomenon of creativity from a complex standpoint. Particularly, the development of creativity under the influence of several factors simultaneously will be studied (Shank & Lyberger, 2014). The impacts in question may include cultural, economic, technological, and personal ones. As a result, one will deconstruct the creative process to make its outcomes as productive as possible.
Creative Problem Solving Process
There are currently three scenarios for solving the problem faced by the ADSC regarding introducing innovations and creative thinking into the sports environment. The creation of a community where both participants and viewers can share their experiences and impressions, as well as engage in meaningful discussions, learn crucial information about sports, and receiving guidelines form sports experts, can be accomplished by introducing modern media into the realm of the Abu Dhabi sport.
The ADSC can create a digital platform that will not only allow announcing new events but also invite people to participate and share their experiences and emotions (Proctor, 2014). The focus on communication should be seen as the priority in the identified scenario, with social networks being the foundation for implementing change.
The second suggestion involves introducing innovative thinking and creativity into sports as the means of making it more exciting and enticing. For this purpose, the traditional techniques used in specific types of sport such as football, tennis, boxing, and other activities will require an update. For example, by incorporating new techniques of throwing a ball in tennis, one will be able to revise the game and make it more appealing to the target audience. The identified approach may need to be combined with the inclusion of innovative digital technology into the process of playing (Ratten & Ferreira, 2016). The identified change should not be deemed as the opportunity to make the game easier for the participants and, thus less exciting to watch. Instead, it should be seen as opening new horizons in improving the quality of the game.
Similarly, the problem of keeping people engaged in sport-related activities can be addressed by utilizing innovative technology and creative approaches to make the viewers’ experience more engaging. For example, tools such as a hotspot camera will help detect a goal scored during a game with higher precision, thus raising the stakes and making the process of watching more exciting. Similarly, the use of Hawk-Eye Technology and the associated tools for improving the analysis of the players’ results will allow improving the current situation.
With greater stakes for players to meet, both participants and viewers will be engulfed with passion about the game (Choppin, Albrecht, Spurr, & Capel-Davies, 2018). Thus, the application of innovative technology will have to be seen as a crucial measure for keeping people’s interest in sports high.
Finally, the application of technological innovations will have to help in building communication between athletes and viewers. As a result, audiences will relate to athletes to a greater extent and even be willing to take up sports themselves. Consequently, the levels of athleticism are bound to rise in the city (Phipps, Cooper, Shores, Williams, & Mize, 2015). The identified change is expected to assist in creating a healthier community and promoting communication and cooperation between its members.
Policy-Making: Skills in Adopting Policy Tools
To introduce the specified changes to the realm of sports, the ADSC will have to alter the current policies, particularly, the ones regarding the use of innovative and creative policy-making techniques. When considering the current approach adopted in Abu Dhabi to encourage participation in sports events, one must mention the propensity toward inclusion and the focus on healthy behaviors. Specifically, the state authorities of the city make it exceptionally clear that the existing policies for managing sport-related issues in the city are expected to foster cooperation, communication, and unity. According to the UAE Government’s official statement,
Its role includes implementing the Government’s policy on the sports sector, spreading the culture of sports as a way of life to reduce illnesses and promote fitness, representing the best talent at regional and international sports events, and taking tangible measures to facilitate the participation of women and people with special needs in sports events. (The UAE Government, 2018)
Therefore, when shaping the existing policies, one must take the qualities associated with communication and technological shrewdness into account. The ability to utilize the available IT tools for maintaining the constant connection with the target demographic is essential to the implementation of the change. Besides, it is necessary to take the nature of the expected change into account. Since the concept of flexibility and celebration of diversity, as well as interpersonal and cross-cultural communication, will be the focus of the change, one will need to utilize the principles of evidence-informed policymaking (EIPM) (Uzochukwu et al., 2016).
The skills that will support EBPM include the ability to obtain, process, and distribute evidence, as well as consulting and negotiation-related skills for discussing the available solutions and alternatives. The skills for gathering and analyzing data will provide an excessive number of changes to reevaluate the current approach and determine the needs of both players and audiences. The specified tool will reveal culture-specific information that will allow designing a framework that appeals to the selected public specifically.
The skills for assessing the possibility of biases in the development of policy are also required. By deploying the specified abilities, one will avoid creating a strategy that will misrepresent the target demographic. As a result, the threat of failing to appeal to the selected population will be reduced. Furthermore, the ability to analyze the feedback received from policy implementation, and the following process of monitoring the project will be needed. The identified skill will help detect the slightest inconsistencies between the actual results and the desired outcomes and inform the choice of the framework for managing the located incongruences.
Skills for Promoting Change at the Abu Dhabi Sports Council
Although the alterations within the realm of sports observed in Abu Dhabi can be generally considered as positive, there is a need to focus on the aspects of cross-cultural communication specifically. At present, the ADSC is facing a rather challenging task of creating a value system that operates on both the traditional cultural principles and innovative approaches. Since the focus on the state’s cultural legacy and the time-honored traditions of the Abu Dhabi society as one of the foundational principles of the ABC’s functioning may conflict with the current promotion of diversity, the ability to negotiate and compromise should be seen as one of the foundational skills for promoting change. By using the specified ability, one will be able to reconcile the cultural legacy of the state and its citizens with the enhancement of multiculturalism and acceptance.
Conclusion
To increase the popularity of the sport, thus encouraging people not only to watch tournaments and support their favorite teams but also to engage in physical activities and accept a healthy lifestyle, the ABSC will need to focus on making the sport interactive and new. For this purpose, technological innovations and creative thinking will be required. Specifically, the exiting approaches to playing common games such as tennis will need to be reconsidered, with new techniques being introduced. Furthermore, IT devices for making games more exciting for viewers will be needed. Specifically, the devices that will allow the audience to observe key moments in a game, and experience it more emotionally will be essential.
It is expected that the identified strategies will convince people not only to watch sports events more often but also consider physical activities as an important part of their lives. As a result, one will observe a steep improvement in the overall quality of people’s lives. Besides, the active promotion of sports by the ABSC will encourage people to create a community where participants will communicate, share their experiences, and, thus encourage unity within the Abu Dhabi society. The specified process will allow both reinforcing the community traditions and explore the phenomenon of cross-cultural communication, enriching the Abu Dhabi culture, and encouraging diversity within the state.
References
Choppin, S., Albrecht, S., Spurr, J., & Capel-Davies, J. (2018). The effect of ball wear on ball aerodynamics: An investigation using hawk-eye data. MDPI Proceedings, 2(6), 265-270.
Harris, N., & Wise, J. (2017). Sport, events, tourism and regeneration. New York, NY: Routledge.
Herrmann-Pillath, C. (2017). The economics of identity and creativity: A cultural science approach. New York, NY: Routledge.
Uzochukwu, B., Onwujekwe, O., Mbachu, C., Okwuosa, C., Etiaba, E., Nyström, M. E., & Gilson, L. (2016). The challenge of bridging the gap between researchers and policy makers: experiences of a Health Policy Research Group in engaging policy makers to support evidence informed policy making in Nigeria. Globalization and Health, 12(1), 67-81.
Merrotsy, P. (2017). Pedagogy for creative problem solving. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis.
Phipps, C., Cooper, N., Shores, K., Williams, R., & Mize, N. (2015). Examining the relationship between intramural sports participation and sense of community among college students. Recreational Sports Journal, 39(2), 105-120.
Proctor, T. (2014). Creative problem solving for managers: Developing skills for decision making and innovation (4th edition). New York, NY: Routledge.
Ratten, V., & Ferreira, J. J. (2016). Sport entrepreneurship and innovation. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis.
Shank, M. D., & Lyberger, M. R. (2014). Sports marketing: A strategic perspective (5th ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.
The UAE Government. (2018). Sports and recreation. Web.