The Relationship Between Strategic Management Approach and Innovation in Fitness Centre Managers

This study examined the relationship between innovation and strategic management in terms of demographic characteristics (gender, marital status, and professional experience) of fitness center managers' perceptions of innovation and strategic management. The research was conducted using a survey model, and the data obtained from 154 participants were analyzed using SPSS. The findings show that the innovation and strategic management scores of male participants are higher than those of female participants, and that these perceptions improve significantly as professional experience increases. While the effect of marital status was limited, a strong positive relationship was found between innovation and strategic management (r= 0.844). This relationship indicates that integrating innovative approaches with strategic processes is critical for organizational success. This study recommends strengthening women's leadership roles by promoting equal opportunities in the workplace and developing strategic support mechanisms for the development of inexperienced employees. Future research should test these findings across different sectors and cultural contexts. These results highlight that innovation and strategic management are important building blocks for both individual and organizational development.