University of Jyväskylä Responsible Management and Business of Sport Master's Thesis Guide: RESS1940/RESS1945, Seminars and Vasara

Quick answer: which current RESPO thesis route applies to you?

The current University of Jyväskylä Responsible Management and Business of Sport (RESPO) programme is a 120 ECTS, two-year English-language master’s programme jointly connected to the Jyväskylä University School of Business and Economics (JSBE) and the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences. The first thing to identify is your current specialisation. Students in Economics and Business Administration use RESS1940 Master’s Thesis, 30 ECTS, grade 0–5. Students in Social Sciences of Sport / Master of Sport Sciences use RESS1945 Master’s Thesis, 30 ECTS, grade 0–5. Both branches share RESS1930 Master’s Thesis Seminar I, 1 ECTS Pass/Fail, RESS1935 Master’s Thesis Seminar II, 2 ECTS Pass/Fail, and RESS1925 Maturity Test, 0 ECTS Pass/Fail.

1. Start by identifying your specialisation before using any thesis instructions

RESPO is unusual because one programme contains two current degree routes. The Economics and Business Administration specialisation is coordinated through JSBE, while the Social Sciences of Sport specialisation is coordinated through the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences. This changes the current thesis course code and the assessment matrix that applies to your work. Do not assume that another RESPO student has the same thesis object as you. Before planning registration, assessment or final submission, confirm your current specialisation in Sisu and use the corresponding Study Guide module.

2. Economics and Business Administration students use RESS1940

If your current specialisation is Economics and Business Administration, your thesis object is RESS1940 Master’s Thesis, 30 ECTS, graded from 0 to 5 and assigned to JSBE. The course requires an individual research project and completion of an academic master’s thesis connected with the RESPO seminars. The thesis must demonstrate that you can understand and apply the theories and methods of the discipline. This route should therefore be treated as the JSBE-side RESPO thesis route when checking faculty-specific assessment and AI guidance.

3. Social Sciences of Sport students use RESS1945

If your current specialisation is Social Sciences of Sport / Master of Sport Sciences, your thesis object is RESS1945 Master’s Thesis, 30 ECTS, graded from 0 to 5 and assigned to the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences. It also requires an individual research project and an academic master’s thesis connected with the shared RESPO seminars. Do not replace RESS1945 with RESS1940 because an older RESPO guide or thesis mentions RESS1940. The present Sport Sciences module explicitly uses RESS1945.

4. Do not inherit the archived 2021–2024 shared RESS1940 route

The archived 2021–2024 RESPO advanced-studies module used one shared RESS1940 thesis object. That historical structure is useful only for understanding why older students and documents may show a different code. It does not control the current Sport Sciences branch. Under the current 2024–2028 structure, the two branches are split: RESS1940 for Economics and Business Administration and RESS1945 for Social Sciences of Sport. When current and archived objects disagree, use the current branch-specific Study Guide object.

5. The current seminar is split into two separate courses

RESPO does not have one single 3 ECTS seminar object. It has RESS1930 Master’s Thesis Seminar I, 1 ECTS, and RESS1935 Master’s Thesis Seminar II, 2 ECTS, both Pass/Fail. Seminar I includes topic analysis, oral and written presentations, opposition and critical evaluation of others’ work. Seminar II continues the process with the research plan, thesis presentation and final thesis work. Treat the two seminars as a continuing research-development sequence rather than one administrative requirement.

6. Use Seminar I to define the topic and scientific problem

RESS1930 asks you to present and argue the topic analysis of your thesis and to participate in scientific discussion. Use this stage to turn a broad interest such as sport financing, responsible leadership, event management or sport ethics into a bounded research problem. Define the organisational setting, population, phenomenon, level of analysis and practical context. A topic becomes researchable when it can be connected to scientific literature, framed as a question and investigated with evidence rather than only discussed as a managerial issue.

7. Use Seminar II to test the research plan before final data collection

RESS1935 includes the research plan and final thesis presentation. By this point, the research question, theoretical framework, method, data source and analysis plan should work together. Seminar feedback is useful for identifying gaps such as a question that cannot be answered with the available data, a sample that does not match the claimed population or a method chosen mainly because it is familiar. Use opposition and peer feedback as a design audit before the project becomes expensive or difficult to change.

8. RESS1925 is RESPO’s own maturity-test route

Current RESPO uses RESS1925 Maturity Test, 0 ECTS, Pass/Fail. It is a separate maturity examination connected to the thesis topic and assesses written academic skills and mastery of the thesis subject area. The current course object provides an exam/e-exam content-evaluation route after thesis completion when language evaluation is not required. Do not substitute the JSBS1940 abstract-as-maturity route used by some other JSBE programmes. RESPO has its own current maturity-test object.

9. AI should not produce the assessed RESS1925 maturity text

JYU generally permits AI-based applications subject to the instructions of the course or teacher, but it also states that AI should not be used to produce work where linguistic presentation itself is assessed. RESS1925 explicitly evaluates written academic skills. Therefore, do not use AI to draft, rewrite, translate or polish the assessed maturity-test response. AI use elsewhere in the thesis must follow the applicable university and faculty rules, and the student remains responsible for the work.

10. Both branches have a shared qualitative-methods foundation

RESS3320 Qualitative research methods, 3 ECTS develops qualitative research design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, reporting, research ethics and research-quality evaluation. This preparation is directly useful for interview studies, document research, organisational cases and studies of meanings or experiences in sport. It does not mean that every RESPO thesis must be qualitative. The method should follow the research problem, not the name of a methods course already completed.

11. Both branches also have quantitative-methods preparation

For RESPO students, LTKS2002 Quantitative research methods is completed as 3 ECTS. It covers data collection, descriptive statistics, confidence intervals, t-tests, analysis of variance, correlation, non-parametric alternatives and questionnaire validity/reliability. This provides a foundation for quantitative thesis work, but it does not make inferential statistics compulsory. A descriptive, qualitative or mixed design may be more appropriate depending on the research question and data.

12. JSBS1140 provides research-design, ethics and philosophy foundations

JSBS1140 Foundations of Business Research, 2 ECTS covers scientific knowledge, philosophy of science, research design, methodology, ethics, critical thinking and the role of AI in research. Use this foundation when explaining why your thesis design produces a particular kind of knowledge. A survey, interview study, case study or document analysis rests on assumptions about what can be known and how evidence supports a claim. Making those assumptions visible strengthens the methodological justification.

13. Mixed methods are an option, not a programme requirement

Because RESPO students study both qualitative and quantitative methods, it may be tempting to assume that a strong thesis must combine them. That is not a current thesis requirement. Mixed methods are useful only when qualitative and quantitative components answer complementary parts of the research problem and can be integrated coherently. Two weak components do not become strong simply by being combined. Choose mixed methods only when the research question genuinely requires both kinds of evidence and the available time is sufficient.

14. Sport-organisation research should define the organisational logic

RESS1110 and RESS1120 emphasise that sport organisations operate in public, private and voluntary sectors and can follow different institutional and managerial logics. If your thesis studies a federation, club, municipality, company, event organiser or nonprofit organisation, define what type of organisation it is and what constraints shape its behaviour. Do not assume that management concepts transfer identically across sectors. Funding, governance, accountability, volunteer participation and public-value obligations can change the meaning of performance and responsibility.

15. Management and leadership studies need a clear level of analysis

RESS1120 and YJOS4250 provide management, leadership and ethical-leadership perspectives. In a thesis, distinguish whether you are studying an individual leader, leadership relationships, team processes, organisational culture or institutional governance. These levels are related but not interchangeable. If employees report poor leadership, that is evidence about perceptions and experiences, not automatically proof of an organisation-wide causal effect. Align theory, participants and analysis with the level at which the research question is asked.

16. Responsibility and sustainability should be operationalised, not used as labels

RESPO includes sustainability, CSR, ethics and responsible leadership through courses such as CEMS2330 and YJOS4250. A thesis should define what responsibility means in the chosen context. Environmental impact, social inclusion, governance, labour conditions, community value and ethical decision-making are different dimensions. If you claim that an organisation is “responsible” or “sustainable,” state the criteria and evidence. Avoid treating sustainability language in strategy documents as proof of actual organisational outcomes.

17. Sport ethics research needs careful normative and empirical separation

LYTA1001 covers anti-doping, manipulation of sport competitions, regulation and broader ethical questions. A thesis in these areas may contain both normative arguments about what ought to happen and empirical evidence about what people do or believe. Keep those layers clear. An interviewee’s opinion is not a legal or ethical rule. A regulation does not prove compliance. If you evaluate misconduct, integrity or fairness, define the normative framework and use evidence strong enough for the claim.

18. Sport-financing research should distinguish financing structure from performance

RESS1130 covers public, private, hybrid and partnership models of sport financing. A thesis may compare funding mechanisms, sponsorship, public support or partnership structures, but financing arrangements do not automatically establish organisational effectiveness. Define what outcome is being studied: financial stability, access, participation, competitive success, social value or another measure. If using financial data, document accounting definitions and time periods. If using stakeholder interviews, distinguish perceived financial sustainability from independently measured financial performance.

19. Sport-event research must separate implementation success from research evidence

RESS1160 develops practical event planning, implementation and evaluation. This can generate useful thesis topics on sustainability, stakeholder experience, volunteer management, governance or event legacy. However, successful delivery of an event is not itself a scientific finding. Define the research question independently from the operational task. If an event project supplies data, specify what is being measured or interpreted, how participants are selected and what comparison or theoretical framework supports the conclusion. Practical lessons should follow from the analysis rather than substitute for it.

20. Qualitative interviews need transparent sampling and analysis

Interviews with managers, athletes, volunteers, officials, sponsors or event participants can be appropriate when the thesis examines experiences, interpretations or organisational processes. Explain why each participant group is relevant, how people were recruited and what important perspectives may be missing. Describe the interview process and analytical procedure clearly. If using thematic or content analysis, show how codes and themes were developed and connected to the research question. Selected quotations illustrate analysis; they do not replace systematic interpretation.

21. Surveys need defensible constructs, sampling and validity

LTKS2002 explicitly includes questionnaire validity and reliability. If a thesis uses a survey to study leadership, satisfaction, responsibility, fan experience, organisational commitment or another construct, define how the concept is measured. Use suitable established measures where possible and document adaptation. Explain the target population and recruitment method. Convenience or self-selected samples may be practical, but their limitations should be visible. A large number of responses does not solve biased sampling or weak measurement.

22. Statistical significance is not the same as practical importance

Quantitative sport-management research may use correlations, t-tests, ANOVA or other methods taught in LTKS2002. Report statistical results accurately, but interpret them in relation to the research question and practical context. A statistically significant difference may be too small to matter organisationally, while a meaningful effect may be estimated imprecisely in a small sample. Explain assumptions, uncertainty and effect magnitude where appropriate. Do not turn correlation into causal language unless the research design supports that inference.

23. Public sport data can still involve privacy and personal-data obligations

Sport research may use public rosters, competition results, social-media material, event registrations, employee information or online comments. Public visibility does not automatically mean that data fall outside personal-data obligations. Identifiers, small-group roles, images, quotations or combined contextual details can identify living persons. JYU normally treats the student as data controller in independent graduation research. Plan what data are necessary, how they are stored, who can access them and whether publication could indirectly identify participants.

24. Human-participant research needs ethics planning before recruitment

JYU follows TENK principles for human-sciences research. Prior ethics-committee review is conditional on the applicable criteria and is not automatic for every interview or survey. Discuss review needs with the supervisor before collecting data. Even when formal prior review is not required, participant information, consent where applicable, privacy, proportional data collection and fair treatment remain important. Sport settings can involve power relationships between athletes, coaches, employees, volunteers and organisations, so consider whether recruitment or participation could feel compulsory.

25. LIBEDATA makes research-data planning a compulsory part of current RESPO studies

The current RESPO degree structure includes LIBEDATA Introduction to Research Data Management, 1 ECTS, Pass/Fail in compulsory Other Studies for both specialisations. The course requires a data management plan for the thesis and covers practical, ethical and legal issues, agreements, copyright, personal data, secure storage, documentation, disposal and possible data opening. JYU recommends taking it alongside the thesis seminar before collecting or handling research data. Use the DMP as a living research document: describe data sources, collection or acquisition, access rights, file organisation, retention or deletion and responsibilities, and update it if the project changes. Interview recordings, survey exports, event data, organisational documents and sport-performance datasets create different risks.

26. Partner organisations cannot make the assessed thesis private

A sport club, federation, company or public organisation may provide data or access and may have legitimate confidential background information. JYU master’s theses are public academic works. Manage confidentiality by keeping protected background material out of the public thesis, anonymising or aggregating where appropriate and agreeing data-use boundaries early. Do not promise a partner that the assessed thesis itself can simply be made confidential. Practical cooperation must be designed around the university’s publicity requirements.

27. Keep company or sport-organisation recommendations separate from research findings

RESPO has a practical orientation, but a thesis remains academic research. A recommendation such as changing a sponsorship model, leadership practice or event policy should be clearly identified as an implication derived from the study, not as the primary evidence. First present what the data show, then interpret those findings through theory, then explain what organisations might reasonably do. If the evidence is limited to one case, small sample or short period, the recommendation should reflect that limitation rather than claim universal best practice.

28. Economics and Business Administration students should write to the JSBE matrix

If you are in the Economics and Business Administration branch and registered for RESS1940, use the current-linked JSBE assessment matrix as your branch-specific grading framework. It evaluates research task, theory, methods and data, results and conclusions, and research report, and also considers mastery of the research process. Before submission, check whether the problem is focused, the theory supports the question, the method and data fit the task, results are interpreted correctly and the final report forms a coherent academic argument.

29. Sport Sciences students should write to the Sport Faculty matrix

If you are in the Social Sciences of Sport branch and registered for RESS1945, use the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences evaluation matrix adopted on 23 September 2024. It separately evaluates research task, literature, methodology, results, reflection and conclusions, structure and consistency, and the student’s working process and use of guidance. The matrix uses grades 0–5 and requires at least grade 1 in all areas for approval. This is not the same matrix as the JSBE branch.

30. The Sport Faculty matrix makes research process visible in the grade

For Sport Sciences students, the assessment matrix explicitly considers proactive work, use of supervision and adherence to the agreed schedule. It also evaluates whether the thesis follows relevant writing/template requirements. This means thesis quality is not only the final statistical table or interview analysis. Keep supervision active, respond to feedback, document decisions and maintain a realistic timeline. The matrix also explicitly expects ethical issues to be handled within methodology, so ethics should be integrated into the design rather than added as a short final paragraph.

31. Follow the applicable AI rule set for your branch, but start from JYU-wide rules

JYU-wide AI rules apply across RESPO: AI use must follow instructions, should be declared when used, AI is not a scientific source and the student remains responsible for the work. The Economics and Business Administration branch can additionally use JSBE’s faculty-specific generative-AI principles, which emphasise transparent reporting, original-source checking and that AI must not replace the student’s own thinking or final text production. Do not present JSBE-specific faculty wording as if it were the sole Sport Sciences rule.

32. Use Turnitin before formal final submission

The JYU final-review process includes a Turnitin plagiarism/originality check according to the applicable supervisor and faculty instructions. Use the report to inspect quotations, paraphrasing, source attribution and accidental reuse, not simply to chase a low similarity percentage. A similarity score does not validate your method or prove originality by itself. Resolve source-use problems before formal submission, because the version entering the final review workflow is expected to be final.

33. Vasara, Sisu, PDF/A and JYX form the final administrative chain

JYU uses Vasara for electronic master’s-thesis submission, evaluation and archiving. Before entering the formal process, confirm final readiness with your supervisor, complete the required Turnitin check, make sure you are registered for the thesis and RESS1925 maturity-test implementation in Sisu and prepare an accessible PDF/A. After evaluation, the approved thesis is transferred to JYX. The completion date is the evaluation-decision date, so allow enough time for examination when planning graduation.

34. Understand the examiner process before you submit

University Degree Regulations require two examiners for a master’s thesis, with at least one holding a doctoral degree, and the second examiner may be the supervisor. The Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences has additional current process instructions: examiner appointment is delegated to the responsible discipline head, examiners may give comments before final grading and the review can be interrupted under the specified conditions. Do not plan graduation around the day you finish writing; formal examination and possible corrections take additional time.

35. Final RESPO quality check: verify your branch first, then the research logic

Before submission, confirm one last time which current specialisation you are in. Economics and Business Administration means RESS1940 + JSBE assessment matrix; Social Sciences of Sport means RESS1945 + Sport Faculty assessment matrix. Both use RESS1930, RESS1935 and RESS1925. Then read the thesis as an examiner: Is the question focused? Does theory match the level of analysis? Is the method justified? Are the data adequate and ethically managed? Do conclusions remain within the evidence? Finally recheck current Sisu, faculty instructions, AI rules, Turnitin, Vasara, accessibility and maturity-test requirements.