Designing a Data Governance Model for Nonprofit Sports Organizations in the Digital Transformation Era

This study aims to design a context-sensitive data governance framework for nonprofit sport organizations in Iran within the era of digital transformation. A qualitative research design grounded in Corbin and Strauss’s grounded theory was employed. Seventeen semi-structured interviews were conducted with managers, coaches, IT specialists, and decision-makers in Iranian nonprofit sport organizations. Participants were selected based on their experience with data-driven projects, decision-making authority, and familiarity with organizational information systems. Data analysis involved open, axial, and selective coding to identify causal, contextual, and intervening conditions influencing data governance. The constant comparative method ensured conceptual consistency and saturation. Key dimensions such as data ownership, quality, infrastructure, organizational culture, and literacy were explored in depth to develop an empirically grounded conceptual model. Results reveal that digital transformation acts as a major causal condition, increasing pressure on organizations to manage large, heterogeneous data sets. Contextual constraints such as limited financial resources, informal structures, and fragmented data processes interact with intervening factors including leadership commitment, staff data literacy, and acceptance of technology to shape governance strategies. These strategies, when implemented, enhance decision quality, transparency, accountability, and organizational trust. The study demonstrates that without formal governance mechanisms, data remain underutilized despite technological adoption.