The impact of member disaffiliation on the internal legitimacy of a federated network

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Research question: This research examines the impact of member disaffiliation on the internal legitimacy of a federated network. A federated network is characterised by a network administrative organisation (NAO) that coordinates and influences member activities. Disaffiliation occurs when an affiliate leaves the network. Within a federated network, internal legitimacy is the extent to which member organisations perceive that the entity is desirable, proper or appropriate. This study investigates the disaffiliation of Football Federation Australia (FFA) from the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC).Research methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with either the president or general secretary of the 11 remaining OFC members, as well as senior managers from Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Oceania Development Office and the OFC's NAO. A small amount of secondary data provided contextual understanding.Results and findings: No participants criticised the FFA for its disaffiliation. Many participants recognised that OFC affiliation was a burden for the FFA. The FFA's disaffiliation exacerbated a number of pre-existing OFC legitimacy deficiencies: low quality of play, small number of influential/prominent members; low qualification standards for FIFA tournaments; poor performance of OFC teams at FIFA tournaments; and small participation numbers.Practical implications: These results demonstrate the relevance of internal legitimacy when determining an organisation's legitimacy. The results also reiterate the importance of legitimacy to organisational and network performance. Finally the research demonstrates that disaffiliation by a dominant or high-profile member of a federated network can negatively affect internal legitimacy.