Examining Individual Board Member Behaviors in Nonprofit Sport Governing Bodies

Abstract

Research on individual board members has tended to focus on attitudes and personal characteristics with research on behaviors limited to the fulfillment of prescriptive tasks. This article develops a nine-behavior model of board member behavior using three board member roles (individual, board, and organizational) and three types of behavior (proficient, adaptive, and proactive). The model was tested using survey data acquired from Canadian provincial sport governing bodies. The data did not support adaptive behaviors, but a revised model was supported by the data. The results suggested board members perceive expectations to fulfill individual tasks, work together, and implement positive change. This research provides an empirically tested framework for continuing the advancement in governance research beyond a structural and compositional approach to an approach that captures the social and behavioral nature of boards.