Supervisor

Martha Gilheaney

Programme

MA in International Business

Keywords

Cross-Cultural Participation Barriers, Participant Engagement, Member Retention

Abstract

This study investigates participant engagement and retention challenges at Latin Cycling Club Dublin, a volunteer-run, non-profit community cycling group based in Dublin, Ireland. The group brings together Spanish-speaking people and others interested in Latin culture who ride together for hobby, social connection, and health improvement. Despite having 259 Instagram followers, 125 Strava participants, and 112 WhatsApp group members, only 8 to 12 people join rides on a regular basis, representing a drop-off of approximately 90 to 93%. The same small core group attends most rides, while the majority of followers remain inactive. Female participation is below 10%, and non-Spanish speakers tend to join only once before stopping.

Using an exploratory qualitative research approach, this study collects primary data through an online questionnaire distributed to followers and participants of Latin Cycling Club Dublin. The research is guided by two questions: why people do not join club rides, and what strategies could improve engagement and retention. The literature review draws on theories of engagement, the psychological contract, digital community management, and cross-cultural participation barriers to contextualise the problem. Findings aim to inform practical strategies for the club and contribute to the limited academic literature on engagement in small volunteer-led multicultural sport and leisure groups.

Date of Award

2026

Full Publication Date

2026

Access Rights

open access

Document Type

Capstone Project

Resource Type

thesis

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.63227/652.299.165

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Included in

Business Commons

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