Designing a Performance Evaluation Model for Bodybuilding Clubs, Case Study: Hamedan Province

Introduction                                   
Performance monitoring and evaluation systems serve as essential methodological frameworks within organizations. These systems provide managerial personnel with instrumental mechanisms to assess current states. Based on this assessment, managers can strategically decide to perpetuate effective operational paradigms or to implement targeted modifications. Ultimately, these modifications aim to optimize both work patterns and the allocation of institutional resources. Performance evaluation plays a crucial role in enhancing organizational productivity and ensuring the efficient use of resources. Consequently, every organization should adopt a suitable evaluation model to effectively achieve its goals and policies. The significance and expanding scope of performance evaluation across various disciplines constitute a vital area of academic inquiry. This is particularly true for the sports industry, which has experienced rapid growth driven by increasing public demand for sports services, transforming it into a substantial economic sector. Furthermore, within modern management paradigms, performance evaluation is a fundamental concept. It serves as a systematic method for enhancing both the quantitative outputs and qualitative aspects of organizational and individual performance over time. It is thus recognized as an effective mechanism for continuous improvement. In the contemporary landscape of sports development, such evaluation has become an indispensable tool for promoting health and fostering development across society. For sports clubs specifically, the ongoing professionalization of the sector means that implementing performance evaluation not only boosts operational efficiency but also drives improvements in both service quality and scale. Indeed, sports hold significant importance in civic life, with clubs acting as primary venues for physical activity . As a result, public expectations for the offerings of these clubs are high. Successful clubs deliver health-enhancing physical activities, facilitate recreation and social connections, and support skill development.
Bodybuilding clubs represent a cornerstone of the modern sports industry, serving as one of its most vital and dynamic components. The remarkable expansion in the number and accessibility of these facilities has been a primary catalyst for the sector's overall growth, underscoring their significant economic and social impact. Parallel to the broader ecosystem of sports clubs, the commercial fitness sector—predominantly driven by private enterprise rather than public investment—has risen to become the foremost modality of organized physical activity for populations across numerous nations. The widespread appeal and participation in bodybuilding, as a discipline, stem from its profound resonance within diverse demographics and community segments. This pervasive popularity necessitates a rigorous and all-encompassing examination of the clubs that facilitate this activity. Conducting a thorough performance evaluation of these establishments is therefore paramount, as it constitutes a fundamental and critical variable for understanding their efficacy and potential. It follows that the systematic assessment of bodybuilding clubs' performance is an indispensable prerequisite for their sustainable development and enhancement.  Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to design a performance evaluation model for bodybuilding clubs (case study: Hamedan province).
 
Mothodology
The methodology was exploratory sequential mixed methods research. The statistical population in the qualitative part included sport and youth department personnel, current and former members of the bodybuilding board, coaches of bodybuilding clubs, and those knowledgeable about the subject, who were selected according to purposive sampling until theoretical saturation (N=13). Also, the statistical population of the quantitative stage consisted of all the coaches and bodybuilders in Hamedan province. The statistical sample of the quantitative stage consisted of 455 participants who were selected by a stratified sampling method. Data were gathered using in-depth interviews and a questionnaire whose validity and reliability were confirmed. In the qualitative part, 63 codes were extracted from the interviews. Using the Lincoln and Guba (1985) method, validity and reliability were confirmed, and the questionnaire was developed in accordance with the 63 selected codes. To quantitatively examine content validity, two coefficients were used: content validity ratio (CVR) and content validity index (CVI). After reviewing the content of the questions and based on the results of the content validity index coefficient, 14 items were removed, as well as the location and capital components. Therefore, the final questionnaire included 49 questions. The reliability of the final questionnaire for performance evaluation of bodybuilding clubs was measured, and the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was α = 0.96. Thematic analysis method was used in the qualitative phase. In the quantitative phase, data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, frequencies, and percentages) and inferential statistics such as the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test and the Mann–Whitney U test. Also, structural equation modeling was utilized via Smart-PLS3 for examining and designing a performance evaluation model for bodybuilding clubs. The data were analyzed using SPSS 26 and Smart PLS 3 software. Values were reported as mean ± standard deviation (SD), and the alpha level was set at 0.05.
 
Fingdings
The results show that the number of athletes and coaches was 455 and the mean of their age was 34.45±10.51. The descriptive statistics show that 60.9% (n=277) of the participants were male and 39.1% (n=178) were female, also, 66.8% (n=304) were athletes and 33.2% (n=151) were bodybuilding coaches.
The mean of sports activity history of the athletes group was 8.37±7.77. In addition, the mean of sports coaching experience of the coaches group was 13.79±8.72.
The result show that, There were 52 (17.1%), 135 (44.4%), 89(29.3%), and 28 (9.2%) athletes with an education level ofdiploma or lower, bachelor’s degree , master's degree, and PhD degree, respectively. Also, There were 6 (4%), 56 (37.1), 61(40.4%), and 28 (18.5%) coaches with an education level of education diploma or lower, bachelor’s degree , master's degree, and PhD degree, respectively.
The results of content validity ratio (CVR) and content validity index (CVI) showed that 14 items from a 63-question questionnaire for the performance evaluation model for bodybuilding clubs of Hamedan province were removed. The results showed that the indicators' effect coefficients for the performance evaluation model for bodybuilding clubs ( with 49 items) were: 1) principles of hygiene and health (β=.90, T=92.77); 2), service, facilities and welfare facilities (β=.89, T=74.29); 3), respect of standards and variety of equipment, and quality of environment (β=.874, T=59.20); 4), security and safety (β=.873, T=69.26); 5), management, planning and  coordination (β=.86, T=62.72);  6), social issues, compliance with the rules and instructions (β=.79, T=38.43);  7), sports achievements (β=.71, T=25.19); 8), human resources (β=.68, T=20.40);  9), marketing and advertisement (β=.61, T=16.09);  respectively.
The results of the evaluation of the model fit indices including GOF, R2, Q2, CV-Com, and CV-Red showed that each fitting index meets the standard, indicating the model fits well.
The results of the Mann-Whitney U test showed that there are not significant statistical differences between men and women, and between coaches and athletes in the indicators 1), principles of hygiene and health 2), service, facilities and welfare facilities 3), respect of standards and variety of equipment, and quality of environment 4), security and safety 5), management, planning and coordination 6), social issues ,compliance with the rules and instructions 7), sport achievement 8), and human resources (p>0.05). The results of the Mann-Whitney U test showed that there is significant statistical differences between men and women, and between coaches and athletes in the index of marketing and advertisement (p<0.01).
 
Discussion and Conclusion            
This study identified nine factors as performance evaluation criteria for bodybuilding clubs. The effect coefficients for the indicators of the performance evaluation model were as follows: 1) principles of hygiene and health ,2) service, facilities and welfare facilities ,3) respect of standards and variety of equipment, and quality of environment , 4) security and safety , 5) management, planning and  coordination ,6) social issue, compliance with the rules and instructions ,7) sports achievements ,8) human resource ,9) marketing and advertisement respectively. The most important factor was principles of hygiene and health in bodybuilding clubs that the result of other study emphasis it which is in line with the present research. Therefore the importance of principles of hygiene and health has been highlighted, necessitating more thorough it management to promotion athletes’ health . Hence, bodybuilding clubs should regularly employ professional services to principles of hygiene and health, and constantly monitor their bodybuilding clubs hygiene conditions .
In addition, the study showed that in all factors identified in the performance evaluation model for bodybuilding clubs (except for marketing and advertising), there were no significant statistical differences between men and women, and between coaches and athletes on these indicators. This issue must draw the attention of all owners, managers, authorities of the sport and youth department, and the bodybuilding board, due to the fact that the attitudes of coaches and athletes are the same regarding the factors and indicators of bodybuilding club performance evaluation. Therefore, authorities should pay attention to these indicators to increase satisfaction and participation rates among all people (coaches and athletes) regardless of gender (except for marketing and advertising).
  Ultimately, managers, authorities of the sport and youth department, the bodybuilding board, as well as bodybuilding club owners can utilize the indicators, concepts, and categories identified in this study for performance evaluation, development, and increasing the satisfaction of athletes and bodybuilding coaches.