alireza esfandiari

The use of the internet and social media has facilitated the marketing process in the sports industry. The purpose of this article is to review the impact of active presence of social media on outbound marketing and promotion of products and services in the sports industry. The research method of this article was conducted in a review format. Data collection tools included using studies (searching documents and articles). Articles in both Persian and Latin languages from the years 2014 to 2024 were searched and collected through databases such as Scopus, Sid, Jcr, Google Scholar, and Science Direct. Keywords used for article extraction were "media," "sports marketing," and "sport and media." 52 articles were obtained from the keyword search, and after considering entry and exit criteria, 13 articles were selected. The findings of this research indicate that social media provide many opportunities for marketing to both new and existing customers. They allow companies to interact with customers, identify their needs, advertise products more efficiently, leading to branding, social power building, information sharing, wordof-mouth marketing, and leveraging collective intelligence. Additionally, the results show that media have a significant and positive impact in the field of sports marketing, stimulating planners and marketers in the sports industry to engage in media activities for sports marketing.

Sports is a vast and universal social phenomenon that is rooted in the lives of young people and adults, and sports participation improves the quality of people's lives and has an obvious effect on physical, psychological and social dimensions. The purpose of this research was to investigate the mediating role of social vitality in the relationship between social marketing and motivation to participate in leisure sports activities (case study: elderly people of Ardabil province). The research method was applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-survey in terms of nature. The statistical population of the present study was the elderly active in sports clubs and parks. To determine the sample size using Cohen's formula, 318 people were determined, which was 10% of the additional sample size and 350 people were determined, and due to the existence of incomplete questionnaires, 339 questionnaires were analyzed. The measurement tools were standard questionnaires, whose content, convergent and divergent validity were confirmed. The reliability of all three questionnaires was confirmed through Cronbach's Alpha Coefficient. To analyze the research hypotheses, the structural equation model was used by SPSS19 and AMOS23 software. The results of this research indicate the effect of social marketing on the motivation to participate in leisure sports activities, the effect of social marketing on social vitality and the effect of social vitality on the motivation to participate in leisure sports activities. Therefore, it can be concluded that creating the motivation to participate in the leisure sports activities of the elderly in the direction of social vitality requires long-term, short-term and medium-term planning and it is better that this type of planning is with a social marketing approach so that the target can be reached. Keywords: Social Vitality؛ Sport؛ Social Marketing؛ Elderly 1. IntroductionAs individuals age, the significance of social engagement and involvement in maintaining their health and well-being escalates (Liu et al., 2024). A relatively overlooked aspect in research is the impact of gender on motivations and participation levels within brand communities. By gaining deeper insights into the distinct motivations and interaction dynamics of male and female consumers across different age brackets in these communities, marketers can tailor their strategies to better address the needs and preferences of target demographics (Haverila et al., 2024). Engaging in sports activities aids in enhancing individuals' quality of life and yields positive effects on their physical, psychological, and social well-being. In the past, the emphasis on sports activities primarily targeted teenagers and young adults, as there was a prevailing belief that intense physical activity could be detrimental to the elderly, unless it had therapeutic value. These traditional attitudes and perceptions stemmed from perspectives on aging that viewed it as an inevitable process accompanied by physical deterioration (Canella et al., 2021). Numerous studies in the realm of sports activities for the elderly have highlighted many advantages associated with engaging in such activities. Physical inactivity is identified as the fourth leading risk factor for mortality and non-communicable diseases like cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and diabetes. To prevent and delay the onset of chronic illnesses, it is recommended that adults adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes sufficient physical activity (Huang et al., 2022). Physical activities and participation in sports events play a direct role in enhancing social integration, as they are recognized as key components in sustaining and fostering social networks and connections (Stenner et al., 2020). 2. Literature ReviewSocial vitality consisted of three subcategories: experiencing positive emotions, holding positive beliefs and cognitions, and demonstrating commitment and inclination to engage in societal activities. Experiencing positive emotions: Findings from the analysis of numerous interviewees revealed that individuals who are cheerful tend to experience positive emotions within society. Holding positive beliefs and cognitions: Another subcategory within the concept of social vitality pertained to maintaining positive beliefs and cognitions towards authority figures, urban affairs, and community engagements.Demonstrating commitment and inclination to engage: The analysis results indicated that a higher level of commitment and active participation in social undertakings contribute to a more pronounced social vitality (Jolanda, 2021). In simplest terms, marketing involves the strategic management of profitable customer relationships, aiming to attract new customers through added value and retain existing customers by ensuring satisfaction (Shabani Moghaddam, 2011). The core focus of modern marketing is to deliver satisfaction and create value for customers in order to generate interest in the desired product or service, thus aligning marketing with meeting customer needs and demands (Saberi et al., 2017). Cutler and Zaltman highlighted that the distinctive feature of social marketing lies in its objectives, which primarily aim to influence social and human behavior, rather than focusing on profit or personal gains. Social marketing is characterized by its mission to impact societal actions and behaviors, extending beyond mere customer satisfaction through exchanges, with a higher goal of influencing community members' behaviors (Khorshidi and Moghaddami, 2002).Sports is a widely recognized concept in society, captivating interest even among those who may not actively partake in sporting activities, with a prevalent engagement in following global competitions, particularly within specific fields. Recent years have witnessed a significant rise in public knowledge and awareness of sports, accompanied by various initiatives aimed at promoting diverse aspects of sports by relevant bodies and mass media outlets (Fujihira et al., 2016). Sports exert an influence on both the physical and mental well-being of individuals. A well-structured and consistent exercise regimen, grounded in the principles of physical education, can substantially contribute to an individual's physical health and mental vigor. In the physical realm, the primary impact of exercise lies in the development and fortification of different body parts and organs. It is noteworthy that while some individuals possess a favorable physique, they may encounter difficulties in executing even the most basic exercises and sports movements (DiGuiseppi et al., 2014). 3. MethodologyThe present research utilized a descriptive-survey research design for data collection, employing a quantitative approach and field method. The study focused on the elderly engaged in sports clubs, as well as those participating in outdoor activities in parks and morning sports settings, with a total population of 318 individuals. To account for potential incomplete responses, the sample size was increased by 10% to 350 participants, with 339 complete questionnaires analyzed. A clustered sampling method was employed, selecting cities including Ardabil, Parsabad, Meshkinshahr, Garmi, and Khalkhal for questionnaire distribution. The measurement instruments utilized were: 1- Social Marketing Questionnaire (Sabri et al., 2018), 2- Sports Participation Motivation Questionnaire (Politir et al., 2013), and 3- Social Vitality Questionnaire (Tamizifar and Azizi Mehr, 2017) for tool validation purposes.Three types of validity were employed in the study: content validity, convergent validity, and divergent validity. Content validity was established through expert evaluation. Convergent validity was assessed by calculating the Average Variance Extracted (AVE), which exceeded 0.5. Divergent validity was confirmed by comparing the square root of AVE with the correlations among the real-factor variables within each construct. Reliability of the questionnaires was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, which exceeded the minimum threshold of 0.7 in all three questionnaires. Descriptive statistical methods such as mean and standard deviation calculations were utilized for data analysis. In the inferential statistics section, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was employed to assess the normality of the statistical population. Furthermore, structural equation modeling was applied to test the research hypotheses, utilizing SPSS 19 and AMOS 23 software. 4. ResultsThe demographic results revealed that out of the total sample, 222 individuals, accounting for 65.5%, were male, while 117 individuals, comprising 34.5%, were female. Regarding marital status, 26 individuals (7.7%) were single, whereas 313 individuals (92.3%) were married. The majority of participants had a diploma as their highest educational qualification, with 167 individuals (49.3%), while only 7 individuals (2.1%) held a doctorate degree or higher. In terms of weekly exercise duration, 117 participants (34.5%) engaged in physical activity for 2-3 hours, whereas the lowest number of participants, 59 individuals (17.4%), exercised for 3-4 hours per week. The most common age range was between 55 and 60 years, with the lowest age group being less than 50 years old.Table 5. Structural model in the estimation mode of standard path coefficientsResearch assumptionsβT-VALUEPResultMediator typeThe effect of social marketing on sports participation motivation0.193.2880.001confirmation    partial mediationThe effect of social marketing on social vitality0.405.1750.000confirmationThe effect of social vitality on the motivation of sports participation0.636.6390.000confirmationThe effect of social marketing on sports participation motivation (without mediating variable)0.446.2860.000confirmation The results from Table 5 of the structural model path analysis indicated that the impact of social marketing on sports participation motivation was 0.19 with a significance level of 0.001, the impact of social marketing on social vitality was 0.40 with a significance level of 0.000, and the impact of social vitality on sports participation motivation was reported as 0.63 with a significance level of 0.000. Since the t-values for all three hypotheses exceeded the critical values (-1.96 and 1.96) at a 99% confidence level, hypothesis H0 was rejected, confirming hypothesis H1. This implies that social marketing has a positive and significant influence on sports participation motivation, and social vitality mediates this relationship.According to Baron and Kenny's criteria, as all three hypotheses with the mediator variable were significant and the effect of social marketing on sports participation motivation was significant even without the mediator variable (social vitality), it can be concluded that social vitality acts as a partial mediator in the impact of social marketing on sports participation motivation among the elderly in Ardabil province. 5. ConclusionStudies have demonstrated that engagement in sports activities can significantly enhance one's sense of belonging in society, boost self-confidence, uplift mood, and alleviate feelings of loneliness and isolation. Furthermore, sports, being a communal endeavor, serve as a foundation for establishing effective social connections and fostering communication. For individuals aged over 50, participating in sports holds paramount importance from both social and environmental perspectives. Such engagements contribute to bolstering self-assurance, enhancing social interactions, promoting health and quality of life, as well as boosting motivation and vitality. Moreover, active involvement in sports aids in fortifying both personal and social identities. Scholarly research underscores that the application of social marketing strategies in preventive interventions can lead to substantial advancements in behavior change within communities. Social marketing initiatives play a pivotal role in augmenting the levels of physical activity and vitality among the elderly population. These strategies encompass leveraging social media platforms to disseminate accurate and credible information regarding the advantages and significance of physical exercise, fostering motivation and social support to encourage participation in physical activities, and crafting tailored exercise programs that cater to the specific needs of this demographic group. The active involvement of older individuals in societal activities not only fosters a sense of worth and empowerment but also serves as a deterrent against feelings of loneliness and isolation. Furthermore, engagement in group-based activities reinforces their social connections, bolsters their sense of community belonging, and contributes to the boost in social vitality.

Digital Library is a new feature of the information storage and retrieval technology in which complex processes like acquisitions, organization, file management, and resource maintenance are carried out electronically. Content organization is one of the most important processes in digital libraries and there have been many efforts to improve its quality. One of these strategies is to use a simple knowledge organization system (SKOS). It is combined of four main structures, RDF, XML, URL and metadata elements. Distribution of controlled vocabulary using SKOS will provide communication and integration of information resources based on RDF. This paper describes and introduces SKOS and its structural components; In addition, it investigates its potential to organize information in digital libraries considering the distribution and dissemination of controlled vocabulary in web environments and its indexing features.