A Framework for Understanding the Performance of National Governing Bodies of Sport

Abstract

Although much research exists on the performance of organizations little literature exists that allows understanding of the performance of national governing bodies (NGBs) of sport. The research in this paper aims to facilitate this understanding and presents the results of a programme of research carried out with French NGBs. In the main phase of the research, utilizing an adaptation of Lawrence and Lorsch's theoretical framework, case study research was carried out with 11 French NGBs in order to understand their strategy and management practices in relation to their organizational performance. Analysis of these case studies, alongside previous research that has focused on the relationship between strategy/organizational structure and performance, leads to the proposal of a framework through which to explain NGB performance in the field of sport. This framework seeks to accommodate the relationship between strategy, management and operational performance.

Determinants of service innovation: a typology of sports federations

“…However, these organisations do share similar characteristics with most sports federations (Bayle and Robinson, 2007;Winand et al, 2010). Therefore, we were able to give an overview of how studies on innovation could be achieved in this context and what to learn from them.…”

Organizational performance of Olympic sport governing bodies: dealing with measurement and priorities

“…However, within this context, new pressures have emerged from the state, sponsors, members and other stakeholders which have required these sport organizations to become more performance oriented, or to build their capacity in order to better manage their organizational performance (Wittock et al, 1996;Bayle and Robinson, 2007). The new culture of professionalization and modernization around organizational performance can be explained by the social, economic and political stakes which surround the objectives of NSGBs in society and the competition they face to obtain public and private funds, all of which has required them to become more accountable and effective.…”

Reflections on the PING! table tennis initiative

“…initiative which was established amidst an increasingly target driven and evidence-informed performance management culture of NGB's in England (Bloyce and Smith, 2010;Collins, 2010;Houlihan and Green, 2008). This is part of a wider NGB trend that has also been identified in many other international public policy contexts (Bayle and Robinson, 2007;Piggin, Jackson and Lewis, 2009;Sam, 2009). In England Collins (2010;374) identifies rather problematically that "increasing participation has been a role for some NGBs, but for many their raison d'être has been to win matches and develop performance athletes".…”

“…Within this complex landscape, NGBs play a central role in the implementation of the dual, and sometimes conflicting, goals of achieving elite sporting success and mass participation (Bloyce and Smith, 2010;Green, 2009;Hogkinson, 2012;Mackintosh, 2011). The extant literature has focused on factors that determine elite sporting success (De Bosscher, 2006), critiques of NGB governance structures (Taylor and O'Sullivan, 2009), athlete talent development systems (Stotlar and Wonders, 2006), the workforce implications of government policy change (Lusted and O'Gorman, 2010) and strategy and management practices related to organisational performance (Bayle and Robinson, 2007). This research project is set within the relatively emerging field of literature that has begun to examine the role of NGB programmes in driving forward mass participation.…”