The National Basket Association (NBA) brings together 29 teams from the United States (Surdam 29). The 30th team is from Canada. The NBA is considered by “many people across the globe as one of the premier men’s professional basketball leagues in the globe” (Surdam 42). The league brings together competent sportspeople from Canada and the United States. The NBA has been categorized as one of the associations with a powerful organizational culture. Every team participating in the NBA league is encouraged to have a strong culture, share information, embrace diversity, and give back to their respective communities. The enactment of the “House Bill 2, the Public Facilities & Security Act (also called HB2 law)” has put the culture of the association into test. The proposed study seeks to analyze this scandalous bill and present new recommendations that can guide NBA to deal with the issue.
Analysis of NBA’s Culture in the Wake of North Carolina’s Bathroom Scandal
This project seeks to analyze the issues arising from the bathroom scandal in North Carolina. In March 2016, the governor of North Carolina signed a new bill that was aimed at preventing LGBTs from “using public bathrooms for the sex they identify as and restricting cities from passing nondiscrimination laws more broadly” (Kopan and Scott, par. 1). The effects of this controversial law have been far-reaching. For instance, NBA decided to move North Carolina All Star game to another state over the controversial bill (Josza 48). That being the case, thi project seeks to analyze the issues surrounding the controversial bill and how it affects the organizational culture of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The paper will go further to propose the best action plans that can be used by NBA.
NBA’s Corporate Culture
The NBA has been categorized as an association with a unique organizational culture. This culture is characterized by unique building blocks. This is the case because the association has 30 teams. In order to develop the best corporate culture, these teams are required to develop their unique organizational values, practices, and behaviors (Sampaio et al. 7). When each team portrays the best behaviors, it becomes easier for the association to have a positive image.
Each team is required to focus on the best practices such as commitment and engagement. The players work as teams and address their unique differences. The team managers offer powerful insights and guidelines in order to uphold the attributes outlined by the National Basket Association (NBA). Although team challenges emerge frequently, the players liaise with their managers in order to produce positive results (Josza 52). This practice has made it easier for the association to develop an admirable corporate culture.
The leadership of the association outlines specific factors to foster the best culture for each team. These factors include trust, feedback, cooperation, shared leadership, communication, planning, and continuous improvement (Surdam 29). The teams are encouraged to trust one another. They are expected to work hard and focus on the targeted goals. It is also agreeable that some of the teams promote the best culture. The NBA also outlines the best practices to support different communities through corporate social responsibility (CSR). Such initiatives include promoting environmental sustainability and recycling processes.
Effects of the Scandal on NBA’s Culture
The bathroom scandal has reshaped the image of NBA’s organizational culture. After the enactment of the law, NBA has decided not to stage the All-Star game in the state. According to the NBA management, the law is discriminatory in nature and fails to consider the rights of transgender people in the society. The association has indicated that “the law discriminates against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people” (Kollen 48). This historic decision has resulted in numerous issues and debates in the country. On one side, LGBT rights activists have argued that NBA’s decision is commendable and praiseworthy.
On the other hand, some critics have argued that the law protects people from pretenders who might visit specific toilets to abuse the users sexually (Hoye 38). The leaders at NBA have therefore continued to receive diverse views from different policymakers and stakeholders. This scandal should therefore be addressed from a critical perspective (Dladay 22). This happens to be the case because a number of people believe that NBA’s decision to select a new venue for the All-Star game is erroneous. Some analysts also argue that the decision is not in accordance with the association’s organizational culture.
Action Plan that Should be Undertaken by NBA
This bathroom scandal should be addressed using evidence-based strategies. Several actions will be considered in order to strengthen NBA’s culture. This section outlines the unique approaches capable of dealing with the situation (Mullin et al. 49). The section goes further to describe the best actions that can be used by the NBA association to maintain its positive corporate image.
Action Plan
The decision to have the All-Star game elsewhere supports the fight against discrimination in the society. Many LGBTs have encountered a wide range of challenges. After the passage of the HB2 law, North Carolina has been criticized for ignoring the rights of transgender persons in the community (Kollen 29). That being the case, NBA should focus on its admirable organizational culture to transform the situation. The first action plan is staging a campaign to inform more people about the rights of LGBTs.
The next step is educating more policymakers about the needs and issues surrounding the LGBT community. The bill of rights should also be considered in order to propose new laws that can support the LGBT community (Robinson et al. 83). Different teams in the league should be encouraged to be part of this action plan. The NBA association will go further to identify the best initiatives that can support the LGBT community.
What NBA Should Do
NBA should consider the above action plans. This approach will ensure the association does not relocate the games to another state. By so doing, the organization will implement powerful campaigns to ensure the law is changed. The decision to have the All-Star game elsewhere will not address the problem. This is the case because more LGBTs in North Carolina will continue to encounter numerous challenges (Lussier and Achua 57).
Policymakers and players should be involved throughout the process. The NBA association can also implement powerful CSR programs aimed at constructing more bathrooms for LGBTs in North Carolina. This approach will play a positive role towards making NBA a respectable organization in North America (Halevy et al. 7). The association can present new strategies to ensure the LGBTs are empowered and supported in North Carolina. Consequently, every person will appreciate NBA’s action plans and eventually make the association successful.
Works Cited
Dladay, Les. Intro to Business. Cengage Learning, 2014.
Halevy, Nir, et al. “When Hierarchy Wins: Evidence From the National Basketball Association.” Social Psychological & Personality Science, vol. 1, no. 1, 2012, pp. 1-12.
Hoye, Russell, et al. Sport Management: Principles and Applications. Routledge, 2012.
Josza, Frank. The National Basketball Association: Business, Organization, and Strategy. World Scientific, 2014.
Kollen, Thomas. Sexual Orientation and Transgender Issues in Organizations. Springer Shop, 2016.
Kopan, Tal, and Eugene Scott. “North Carolina Governor Signs Controversial Transgender Bill.” CNN Politics, 2016. Web.
Lussier, Robert, and Christopher Achua. Leadership: Theory, Application, & Skill Development. Cengage Learning, 2013.
Mullin, Bernard, et al. Sport Marketing. Human Kinetics, 2012.
Robinson, Leigh, et al. Routledge Handbook of Sport Management. Routledge, 2011.
Sampaio, Jaime, et al. “Exploring Game Performance in the National Basketball Association Using Player Tracking Data.” PLOS One, vol. 1, no. 1, 2015, pp. 1-14.
Surdam, David. The Rise of the National Basketball Association. University of Illinois Press, 2012.