| The internship experience is a vital component of sport management curriculums. While there is widespread agreement on the importance of internships and the need to ensure quality experiential learning, there are various opinions on the goals and expectations for internships and misconceptions exist among stakeholders. In focusing on the perceptions of practitioners regarding communication of expectations, this study was intended to provide information that may help lead to more effective communication and more positive learning experiences. The qualitative multiple case study design utilized qualitative surveys from 20 agency supervisors from major league professional sport franchises in North America, followed by in-depth interviews with six agency supervisors to gain a better understanding of the experience through the descriptions of practitioners. Data analysis and interpretation were inductive in nature, seeking themes in the data in an effort to make sense of the descriptions. Results indicated that agency supervisors communicated with students regarding internship expectations through the use of job description documents, verbal communication during the interview process, and by conducting orientations, while there was little or no communication with campus coordinators regarding internship expectations. Supervisors described their understanding of student expectations, which included acquiring experience in sports, gaining knowledge of the department and team, networking through establishing professional relationships, and gaining industry knowledge to determine career intentions. Agency supervisors described minimal contact with coordinators and a lack of understanding of coordinators' expectations. Human resource representatives played an active role in the communication of expectations, and in many cases served as liaisons between department supervisors, students, and internship coordinators. This finding extends the literature by revealing a fourth stakeholder in internship experiences and introduces a new model of the lines of communication among stakeholders. Recommendations for practical application included campus coordinators taking the lead to ensure adequate communication of the expectations by creating internship manuals and agreements outlining the responsibilities and expectations of all parties, and providing additional guidance for agency supervisors when needed. Further research is needed to explore the perceptions of human resource representatives with team sport organizations and those of agency supervisors with organizations outside the major team sports. |
