The sport development and its socio-cultural and managerial aspects: an integrative review

Abstract

Aim: The purpose of this study was to conduct an integrative review aiming to critically analyze the concept of sport development and the different variables that influence this process. Methods: We restricted the search to scientific journals in the area of sports science that published studies related to the social sciences and are indexed in the Scientific Journal Rankings (SJR). In total, 23 scientific journals were analyzed and the final sample of this review consisted of 65 articles. Results: Our findings highlighted that sport development is immersed in specific social, political, and economic factors that influence the extent to which different stakeholders can implement strategies and provide resources to improve participation and performance in sports. In addition to the quantitative aspect, researchers indicate the need for specific strategies that also enable the participation of women, people with disabilities, and other groups that historically have faced constraints to participate in sports. Despite the interesting criteria used to evaluate the sport development, they should be used with caution because most studies were conducted in English-speaking countries reflecting a tendency to report features only of the Western culture. Conclusion: The different stakeholders, strategies, and resources found in this review reinforce that there is no single way to develop sports, as different possibilities may be used according to the characteristics of each context. It also indicates the need to move research to unexplored fields and socio-cultural contexts to increase the reach that sport-based programs may have.