Human Resource Management in Recreation, Sport, and Leisure Services

Book excerpt: "Managers of recreation, sport, and leisure services perform a variety of activities. Perhaps the most essential of these activities is the management of human resources. Every person associated with an organization, directly or indirectly, is a resource. These people might be recreation directors, event planners, sport managers, park supervisors, therapeutic recreation specialists, or outdoor leaders. They might have full-time, part-time, seasonal, or voluntary status. It is a mistake to assume that these individuals will automatically fit together into a cohesive, coordinated team. Furthermore, it is an error to assume that people will automatically perform the appropriate tasks and perform those tasks in the most desirable manner. An effective team effort is essential to the operation of any organization, and it is the responsibility of the manager to make this happen. In summary, this textbook prepares students--whether they intend to work in commercial recreation, therapeutic recreation, outdoor recreation, governmental recreation, youth services, sports management, or event planning--with a solid foundation for human resource management. Theory and practice are combined to assist students in gaining a greater understanding of the many complexities they will encounter in the workplace."--Publisher's website.