Nonprofit Sport Organizations Research Articles

Exploring the nexus of digital technology and organizational change in non-profit sport organizations

ABSTRACT The sport industry is not immune to the force digital technology brings in facilitating organizational change in sport organizations. Consequently, the purpose of the study was to explore the nexus of digital technology and organizational change in sport organizations, specifically identifying the presence of smaller digital changes and larger digital transformations. A collective case study of five Canadian national sport organizations undergoing organizational change was conducted; data derived from 49 semi-structured interviews and 151 documents. Results indicated these organizations engaged in a variety of digital changes like incorporating Microsoft 365, Zoom, and Samepage, and developing their own digital tools. Although these technologies fostered some larger digital transformations insofar as they enabled greater stakeholder communication and engagement, in the context of organizational change, digital technology remained predominantly at a small-scale, digital change level. The findings make it imperative for executives to reflect upon whether digital technology is being (un)intentionally disregarded from a strategic standpoint.

The impact of external factors on board decision making in non-profit sport organizations

PurposePressures from non-profit sport organizations’ (NPSOs) external environment influence governance structures and processes. Thus, this study explores the impact of external factors on NPSO board decision making.Design/methodology/approachUsing a sample of six NPSO boards (two national, four provincial/territorial), data were collected via 36 observations, 18 interviews, and over 900 documents. A thematic analysis was conducted via NVivo 12.FindingsResults identified two external factors impacting NPSO board decision making: the sport system structure and general environment conditions. External factors impacted NPSO board decision making in terms of duration, flow, interaction, and scrutiny.Originality/valueResults demonstrate the need for NPSO boards to engage in boundary-spanning activities whereby external information sources from stakeholders are incorporated to make informed decisions. Practically, NPSO boards should harness virtual meetings to continue their operations while incorporating risk management analyses to assess threats and opportunities.

A double-edged sword: resource dependence of non-profit sports organisations in China within the government service procurement framework

Non-profit sports organizations increasingly participate in government service procurement, seeking vital resources. This study conducted interviews with staff members of sports non-profit organizations in the central provinces of China to understand the impact of participating in government service procurement on non-profit sports organizations. The data was analyzed using NVivo12 software, in conjunction with Resource Dependency Theory (RDT) to propose three subject categories relevant to the subjects of this study, namely (a) resources obtained by the organisation, (b) attitudes of the organisation towards the government and (c) specific behaviours taken by the organisation. The ­‘government-public duality’ of sports non-profit organisations in China makes the government purchase of services, not a fully marketable option. Organizations exhibit proactive behaviors beyond contractual obligations to nurture relationships. This study emphasizes the need to prevent the alienation of non-profit sports organizations in government service procurement, underscoring the importance of fostering and enhancing collaboration in the sports field.

Creating Value in Non-Profit Sports Organizations: An Analysis of the DART Model and Its Performance Implications.

This study aims to analyze the impact of value creation and cocreation, as measured by the dialogue, access, risk assessment, and transparency (DART) model, on the performance of non-profit sports organizations (NPSOs). To assess this impact, the authors analyzed data collected from sports and administration managers of NPSOs, specifically Colombian amateur soccer clubs. The study used partial-least-squares structural-equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with constructs of the reflexive-formative type. The results indicate that value creation has a positive impact on the performance of NPSOs through the mediating effect of value cocreation. Despite the limitations of this study, including the limited research on the relationship between value creation and cocreation and NPSO performance in Colombia, the findings contribute to the understanding of the mediating effect of cocreation. The authors found that cocreation mainly affects the sport, customers/members, communication and image, finance, and organization dimensions of NPSOs in developing countries. This study draws attention to the potential benefits of cocreation for NPSOs and emphasizes the importance of creating value in this context. The study concludes that further studies on the constructs proposed in this research would help to understand the phenomenon of innovation and its impact on NPSOs. Overall, this study provides valuable insights for managers and policymakers in NPSOs-especially in developing countries-on the importance of value cocreation in improving their performance.

Good governance and professionalisation of non-profit sport clubs: a resource dependency perspective

Whereas literature on non-profit sport organisations highlights a trend towards increased professionalization due to systemic expectations and pressure (Klenk et al., 2017), non-profit sport clubs still struggle with peculiar challenges related to the development their activities. They exist and develop thanks to an important contribution of voluntary staff driven by intrinsic motivation factors. Compared to for-profit companies or national sport governing bodies (NSGBs), they hardly rely on a competitive budget and they face financial vulnerability (Cordery et al., 2018). For instance, the mean budget for non-profit sport clubs in Switzerland is approx. CHF 60’000 (Lamprecht et al., 2017) whereas the budget of the umbrella federation, Swiss Olympic is approx. CHF 70 million (Swiss Olympic, 2019) and the mean budget of the affiliated NSGBs is approx. CHF 10 million (Kempf et al., 2019). Their capacity to respond to systemic pressure by resource acquisition and retention is limited. The good governance narrative emerged in the late1980s with the reform of the corporate and public sectors as a cure for mismanagement and unethical behaviour. In the field of sport, the concept became popular in the aftermath of corruption scandals in large international sport organisations and has led the creation of complex and demanding standards (Chappelet & Mrkonjic, 2019). To date, non-profit sport clubs are rather immune to good governance expectations and only a handful of initiatives that focus on the preservation of their social and economic impact address the topic (see Kirkeby, 2016). A reflection on their capabilities to effectively implement standards such as democracy or accountability is missing. This contribution investigates good governance and professionalization of non-profit sport clubs from a theoretical perspective. Starting with the hypothesis that non-profit sport clubs struggle to respond to systemic pressure because they lack resources and that acquiring and maintaining new resources is costly, this contribution builds on strategic management and resource dependency theory to analyse the challenges related to the implementation of good governance standards and develops strategic responses.

Female representation at the national level and women sport volunteering in European countries

AbstractThis study examines the moderating effects of national female labor force participation, women in sport leadership positions, and female medalists in recent Olympic Games on women's probability to volunteer in sport. Based on social role theory and the similarity attraction paradigm, we predict that all three factors result in a higher probability of women to volunteer in sport, but with differences among age groups. Linear probability models before and after applying coarsened exact matching were estimated using data from the 2017 Eurobarometer (n = 18,529). The results show that women have a significantly lower probability to volunteer in sport in countries with high female labor force participation and a high share of women in leadership positions in sport organizations. The likelihood of women volunteering in sport is significantly higher in countries with a high share of female Olympic medalists. The age group‐specific analysis asking whether volunteering should be considered an investment in human capital by younger women and/or an acquisition of social capital by older women, reveals that a high presence of women among leaders in sport organizations and Olympic medalists is significantly positively correlated with the probability for young women to volunteer in sport. Managers and leaders of nonprofit sport organizations learn from our study that volunteering should be perceived as an investment in human capital by younger women rather than an attempt to acquire social capital by older women.

Learning How to Make Decisions in a Nonprofit Sport Organization: An Application of Strategic Decision-Making Theory

This teaching-based case study tasks students with analyzing a strategic decision. This analysis is guided by a script describing a strategic decision undertaken in a fictional nonprofit sport organization (i.e., Canadian Ice Tennis Federation). Students’ analysis is achieved by applying strategic decision-making theory, including its five central constructs: centrality, duration, flow, interaction, and scrutiny. Knowledge is gained by analyzing a strategic decision according to its level of authorization, length, delays, negotiations, and information sources. This teaching-based case study is intended for undergraduate students in general sport management and/or strategy/strategic management courses. The benefit of this teaching-based case study resides in its ability to teach students how to make decisions, a central and ubiquitous task in organizational life, and their future endeavors in the sport industry.

The economics of marketing tools in non-profit sports organizations

The economics of marketing tools in non-profit sports organizations

The Logical Basis of Nonprofit Sports Organizations’ Participation in Public Service Purchasing in the Chinese Perspective

The Logical Basis of Nonprofit Sports Organizations’ Participation in Public Service Purchasing in the Chinese Perspective

Organizational Dialogic Communication and Engagement: Examining the Relationship Between Dialogic Strategies and Facets of User Engagement in Nonprofit Sport Organizations

Organizational Dialogic Communication and Engagement: Examining the Relationship Between Dialogic Strategies and Facets of User Engagement in Nonprofit Sport Organizations

Value co-creation and its impact on organizational performance: the case of the amateur football clubs of Antioquia football league of Colombia

Studies have shown the direct and positive influence of the co-creation of value on the performance of organizations. However, current knowledge about what and how co-creation of value impacts the performance of non-profit sports organizations has been unclear and marginally studied. This paper aims to analyze the impact of value co-creation on organizational performance in amateur soccer clubs. A structured questionnaire was used to measure the scales of value co-creation (21 items) and the dimensions of organizational performance in sports organizations (20 items). The sample comprised 345 managers, presidents, and executives of amateur soccer clubs in the Antioquia Soccer League of Colombia. The data were analyzed using partial least squares modeling with SmartPLS software. The results show that amateur soccer clubs jointly create value by developing goods, products, and services with consumers and suppliers. This fact significantly impacts their organizational performance in multiple dimensions, mainly in the financial dimension. Based on the empirical results, the authors make recommendations for management in nonprofit sports organizations in developing countries.

Determinants of ongoing participation in a masters-level sport: the impact of internal attributes and experiences with the organization

ABSTRACT Research question The number of adults participating in physical activity and sport is in decline; nine of the top 15 daily sports experienced a decrease in participation in recent years. For sport organizations that provide participation programming, retaining members is critical to their success and longevity. The purpose of this research is to empirically determine factors that explain member retention in a masters-level sport. Research method A relationship marketing-based model was developed and tested using survey data from over 6000 current and former members of United States Masters Swimming. Results and findings Enjoyment and fitness, community, and competition are motivational factors that support membership continuation. Membership renewal is also influenced by identification with the organization, improved fitness and ability, and positive perceptions of service quality and coaching. Implications Leaders of non-profit sport organizations can apply the findings to increase member retention and fulfill the mission of providing health benefits to adults. Organizations can improve sport experiences through community-building and challenge; creating positive interactions with the coach and service organization can contribute to retention. This research contributes to theory-building regarding relationship marketing in member-based sport organizations.

Nomination Committees and National Sport Organizations: Designing the Way to Democracy?

The director selection processes of nonprofit national sport organizations underpin board composition and hence board and organizational performance. In the New Zealand context, this study verifies the emergence of nomination committees (NCs) and critically examines, from a democratic theory perspective, the extent to which democratic legitimacy is promoted within the NC structures of national sport organizations’ director selection processes. An analysis of national sport organization (NSO) constitutions affirms the NC emergence as a governance phenomenon and results in the development of an NC (constitutional powers-based) classification system. This NC classification contributes to a largely unexamined area of nonprofit sport governance by providing a foundational description of NC structural design features then used to reflect on the extent to which the identified design features may serve to protect member voice (community logic) in the face of increasing pressures on NSOs to adopt professionalized governance structures (corporate logic). A holistic system objectives approach to democratic theory is used to better understand how NC structural design may support such member voice. In this way, the article offers both scholars and practitioners an insight into a range of NC strategic design choices and potential implications for democratic legitimacy.

Exploring employees’ perceptions of micro corporate social responsibility in non-profit sport organizations: the mediating role of psychological capital

ABSTRACT Research question This study explores non-profit sport employees’ perceptions of micro-corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives’ influence on their engagement, job satisfaction, and organizational citizenship behaviors. The study fills a critical gap in research concerning micro-CSR and non-profit sport organizations which is meaningful as micro-CSR has the potential to improve individual and organizational performance. Research method Drawing on the positive organizational behavior literature, the study tests the mediating role of employees’ psychological capital (PsyCap) using conditional process analyses and the bootstrap method to estimate the significance of indirect effects. To test these relationships, a cross-sectional survey was administered to 120 non-profit sport employees from state and regional golf associations across the United States. Results and findings The findings indicate that PsyCap mediates the relationship between the employee perceptions of CSR and job engagement, job satisfaction, and organizational citizenship behaviors. Implications This study expands the micro-level CSR literature by examining the importance of employees’ positive perceptions of CSR. The study also contributes to the understanding of PsyCap as an underlying mechanism linking CSR with positive outcomes at the individual level.

The Importance of Leadership Function in Non-Profit Sports Organizations

Leading is an integral part and the essence of management, a function that motivates and encourages efforts to achieve the set goals of the organization. The leading function is equally important in non-profits operating in a dynamic global market and fighting for their place under the sun. To be successful and effective, a non- profit organization must coordinate all its available resources, which requires good, quality and specific management. Regardless of the fact that the basic goal of a non- profit organization is a social goal, its activities and business must be guided by application of modern business models by which the non – profit organization will take a competitive position in the non – profit market. The leadership function in non-profits requires skills of focusing on linking social benefits and business practices using successful economic models but neglecting political and individual goals that must not at any time neglect service to society.

Sport federations' organizational innovativeness: an empirical comparison of characteristics and attitudes

PurposeBeing innovative is important for non-profit sport organizations in order to meet the ever-changing and increasing societal needs. Understanding why and to what extent organizational innovativeness differs between non-profit sport organizations is, therefore, important to assess and increase their chances of survival. The purpose of this study is to compare the structural characteristics and attitudes of innovation attributes between three groups of sport federations (SFs).Design/methodology/approachAn online self-assessment survey was sent to all recognized regional Belgian SFs (N = 156). Simultaneously, an observational desk research (i.e. media analysis) was carried out. Results from both data collection methods were combined to develop a composite organizational innovativeness-index, based on which the federations were then clustered in three distinct adopter groups.FindingsComparative statistics show that structural background characteristics generally are poor indicators for adopter categorization. In contrast, the attitudes about compatibility (i.e. the consistency of innovations with existing values) and complexity (i.e. the extent to which innovations are difficult to apprehend) seem the most important distinctive determinants for the different groups of SFs.Originality/valueThe study's contribution is twofold. First, it offers a methodological contribution with the development of an index, which enables the categorization of non-profit sport organizations according to their organizational innovativeness; thus, it provides a critical counter-argument to the importance of organizational structural background characteristics from previous studies. Second, the study's results may support non-profit sport organizations in improving their innovativeness, for instance by improving the perception of compatibility with innovation or by guiding policymakers in creating a more supportive environment for these organizations to do so.

National sport organization governance design archetypes for the twenty-first century

ABSTRACT Research question This paper revisits our knowledge of sport organization governance design archetypes. To do so, we focus on Canadian national sport organizations (NSOs) and pose three research questions: (1) what governance design archetypes exist based on the use of more contemporary criteria; (2) how easily can an NSO’s archetype be determined; and (3) what are the implications of these new archetypes for researchers and practitioners? Research methods We undertook a landscape study of 32 Canadian NSOs with data from an online survey, publicly-available information, and clarification calls. Archetypes were derived from 47 organizational and governance characteristics using a k-means cluster analysis. Results and Findings Our empirically-derived archetype design taxonomy showed the best fit to be four clusters (Board-led, Executive-led, Professional, and Corporate) based on key organizational values, complexity, capacity, revenue sources, and governance variables. Implications Besides knowing NSOs are more heterogenous than in the past, researchers and practitioners can use capacity, efficiency, horizontal differentiation, broadcast revenue, political accountability, and social media information to derive an NSO’s governance archetype. These findings imply researchers can (1) examine non-profit sport organizations’ changes over time based on a set of archetypes reflecting contemporary realities, and (2) compare and contrast NSOs’ governance more holistically. In turn, managers can better compare their NSO with other NSOs to optimize their organization’s performance. Finally, national sport agencies/funders should support NSOs’ governance improvement efforts through flexible guidelines and resources because of NSOs’ governance heterogeneity.

Strategic processes in Australian golf clubs: a dynamic capabilities view

ABSTRACT Research question This paper addresses the following research questions: (1) To what extent do the procedural dimensions of the dynamic capabilities view explain non-profit sport organisations’ adaptation to a changing environment? (2) To what extent do non-profit sport organisations develop routinised versus ad hoc dynamic capabilities? Research methods Guided by an interpretivist approach we conducted semi-structured interviews with senior managers of 20 Australian golf clubs. We coded data guided by the procedural dimensions of the dynamic capabilities view but with inductively emerging sub themes. Results and findings Our study demonstrates the usefulness of the dynamic capabilities view for investigating strategic processes within non-profit sport organisations. The three procedural dimensions – sensing, seizing, and transforming – captured the different practices undertaken within the golf clubs. Our findings suggest maturity of dynamic capability processes and success with using both routinised and ad hoc processes. Implications Dynamic capabilities are useful for understanding the ability of non-profit sport organisations to adapt. Furthermore, routinisation depends on the maturity of an organisation’s internal management processes and the means available for the latter.

Commercialization processes within Swedish child and youth sport – a Deleuzioguttarian perspective

In the Nordic countries sport has a particular connection to civic society, and this is reflected in the Nordic governments ‘sport for all’ policies. The region also includes large voluntary non-profit sport organizations with an implicit monopoly on competitive sport. During the last decade scholars in Sweden have noted that commercial entrepreneurs have emerged in the child and youth sports landscape. However, empirical research on this phenomenon is scarce. Hence, in this article the aim is to map different commercial businesses and the services they offer on their websites. We make use of a Deleuzioguttarian inspired theory and method and a post-qualitative research practice, which is informed by an ontological (re)turn to realism(s) in social theory. We present four different commercial de-territorialization processes and discuss how they affect the Swedish Sport Confederation in different ways.

“No Idea is a Bad Idea”: Exploring the Nature of Design Thinking Alignment in an Australian Sport Organization

As research into sport innovation management continues to evolve, the innovation efforts of both for- and non-profit sport organizations are increasingly revealed to be focused on best serving the sport user. Design thinking—a human-centered approach to innovation—may hold promise for sport organizations attempting to identify and deliver on the unmet needs of their users. As such, we undertook a qualitative exploration of the innovation practices of a commercial sport organization, attempting to balance hybrid for- and non-profit service goals. Alignment with design thinking themes was discovered in the organization’s practice, as were performative components of design thinking practice. Our findings suggest that design thinking is suitable—and indeed desirable—for adoption into sport management practice, particularly as a means of enhancing innovation efforts, designing holistic sport experiences, and/or overcoming competing institutional demands.