O.G. Rysakova¹
PhD I.V. Mikhaylova¹
PhD E.D. Bakulina¹
V.A. Bogdanova^1
1Russian State Social University, Moscow

Corresponding author: olga.rysia@gmail.com

Abstract

Objective of the study was to survey motivations and social standings of the national Alpine ski and snowboard instructors.

Methods and structure of the study. We sampled for the questionnaire survey the Alpine skiing and snowboarding instructors (n=89) from Krasnaya Polyana Ski Resort in Sochi and Krylov Ski School in Moscow (National School of Professional Instructors) and collected their key personal data including gender, age, education, place of residence, sports qualification/ title, Alpine skiing and snowboarding instructor qualification, and other active businesses. Motivations of the sample were surveyed using the D. Barbuto and R. Skoll survey form [2, 5] including 5 groups of 6 questions (30 questions in total) to rate: (1) Internal Processes; (2) Instrumental Motivations; (3) External Self-concept; (4) Internal Self-concept; and (5) Goal Internalization.

Results and conclusion. The study data and analyses produced social standings of the Alpine skiing and snowboarding sample that was 66% male and dominated by with 23-60 year-old (90%) individuals. Most of the sample (71%) reported a higher education albeit no Alpine skiing and snowboarding sport qualifications/ titles; and 65% reported having Class C certificates for professional service to beginners. Most (73%) of the sample reported sufficient practical Alpine skiing and snowboarding instructing service experience indicative of a sound vocational self-identification. Dominant places of residence for the sample are Sochi (Krasnaya Polyana) and Moscow cities.

The survey found the Alpine skiing and snowboarding instructors’ motivations dominated by their internal values and standards, with a special role played by the service satisfaction and individual goals compliant with the internal progress agendas (growth motivations). External motivations were ranked secondary by the sample, with the respondents reporting no interest in how their competences and services are rated by the others i.e. uninterested in the social recognition. Instrumental motivations related to material remuneration were ranked only fourth of five categories i.e. unimportant. It should be emphasized that the instrumental motivations were ranked mostly low, and one of them even negative.

Keywords: vocational motivation, Alpine skiing instructor, snowboarding instructor.

Background. Alpine skiing industry in Russia has reported progress and expansion for the last decade, with virtually every mountain region building ski trails, ski lifts and other service infrastructure to lure people to the alpine skiing or snowboarding sports among other popular physical activities [1]. The growing services have boosted a demand for the Alpine skiing and snowboarding instructors although this profession has its natural seasonal limitations with the service limited by four-five months per year at most plus weather-dependent, with the relevant implications for the annual income flow.

Objective of the study was to survey motivations and social standings of the national Alpine skiing and snowboarding instructors.

Methods and structure of the study. We sampled for the questionnaire survey the Alpine skiing and snowboarding instructors (n=89) from Krasnaya Polyana Ski Resort in Sochi and the Krylov Ski School in Moscow (National School of Professional Instructors) and collected their key personal data including gender, age, education, place of residence, sports qualification/ title, Alpine skiing and snowboarding instructor qualification, and other active businesses. Motivations of the sample were surveyed using the D. Barbuto and R. Skoll survey form [2, 5] including 5 groups of 6 questions (30 questions in total) to rate: (1) Internal Processes; (2) Instrumental Motivations; (3) External Self-concept; (4) Internal Self-concept; and (5) Goal Internalization.

Results and discussion. The Alpine skiing and snowboarding instructor sample was found 66% male and 34% female, with 49%, 41% and  7% aged 23-34, 35-60 and 18-22 years, respectively; and only 3% 60-plus years old. High, secondary vocational and secondary education was reported by 71%, 15% and 14% of the sample, respectively; and only 11% of the sample reported having a formal Alpine skiing and snowboarding qualification. Furthermore, two, three, four and one reported having World Class Master of Sport, Master of Sport, Candidate Master of Sport, and Class I Athlete qualifications, respectively, and this finding was somewhat unexpected since it means that most of the sample has neither formal Alpine skiing and snowboarding certificates from private or public Alpine skiing and snowboarding schools nor Alpine skiing and snowboarding competitive experiences apart of the amateur/ tourist skiing records. However, 73% of the sample reported 3-plus-years of Alpine skiing and snowboarding instruction experience – that means that their vocational identifications are well-established. Most of the sample reported residing in Sochi (Krasnaya Polyana) and Moscow, with the others living in Voronezh, Ufa, Perm, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Samara and some other cities.

The motivations survey found the following:

• Ranked on top by the sample was Internal Self-concept (No. 4) with its genuine values, standards and competencies; whilst the external incentives were rated secondary;

• Ranked second were Internal Processes (No. 1) with the internal motivations being more important than the external ones, i.e. the subjects are mostly driven by the service satisfaction and interest in the job, and ranked the material incentives secondary;

• Ranked third was Goal Internalization (No. 5) that means that the sample is centered on the own service goals correspondent to the internal values;

• Ranked fourth were Instrumental Motivations (No. 2) i.e. the need for material remuneration for the service – that means that this motivation is not a decisive one in the vocational agenda; and

• Ranked fifth was the External Self-concept (No. 3), with this lowest ranking showing the sample being largely indifferent to how their competence, values and priorities are perceived by the others from the reference group. This means that most of the Alpine skiing and snowboarding instructors are disinterested in – or even rejecting – social recognition and external appreciation of their professional service skills and experiences.

Figure 1. Averaged motivations survey data

Conclusion. The study data and analyses produced social standings of the Alpine skiing and snowboarding sample that was 66% male and dominated by with 23-60 year-old (90%) individuals. Most of the sample (71%) reported a higher education albeit no Alpine skiing and snowboarding sport qualifications/ titles; and 65% reported having Class C certificates for professional service to beginners. Most (73%) of the sample reported sufficient practical Alpine skiing and snowboarding instructing service experience indicative of a sound vocational self-identification. Dominant places of residence for the sample are Sochi (Krasnaya Polyana) and Moscow cities.

The survey found the Alpine skiing and snowboarding instructors’ motivations dominated by their internal values and standards, with a special role played by the service satisfaction and individual goals compliant with the internal progress agendas (growth motivations). External motivations were ranked secondary by the sample, with the respondents reporting no interest in how their competences and services are rated by the others i.e. disinterested in a social recognition. Instrumental motivations related to material remuneration were ranked only fourth of five categories i.e. unimportant. It should be emphasized that the instrumental motivations were ranked mostly low, and one of them even negative.

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