Can conflict be productive? An examination of conflict in non-profit sport boards

Project Summary  Given the importance of board decisions on the development of sport programming in Canada, an investigation of the impact of conflict within these groups is essential for effective board functioning. Thus, the purpose of this project was to examine the nature, level, and impact of task, relationship, and process conflict in provincial sport…

The politics of international sport: An investigation of the sport for development and peace movement

Project Summary  Sport and physical activity is now mobilized in programs and initiatives designed to meet international development goals, leading to a sector known as ‘Sport for Development and Peace’ (SDP). A number of different organizations make up this sector, including non-governmental organizations, charities, corporations, professional sports clubs, and governments. As a result, sport is…

Examining interdependence in Canada’s sport system: Community basketball

Project Summary The purpose of this research was is to explore and assess the existence of partnerships or network collaborations within the delivery network of basketball providers in one geographic region of Canada: Niagara. Investigators used network analysis to investigate the degree of integration (incidents of network collaboration) and interdependence (partnership effectiveness) between providers of…

The 2026 World Cup is coming to Canada: Time to get ready… politically!

This past winter, the world’s most viewed sport mega-event, the FIFA Men’s World Cup, was held in Qatar. As a “pure” sporting spectacle, Qatar 2022 counts as one of the most compelling sport mega-events in history, with the (arguably) greatest footballer of all-time, Lionel Messi, leading his Argentina national team to a penalty shootout victory…

Examining role identity and diversity within the governance of community sport 

Aim In this study we are critically examining the current models of community sport governance and inclusive practices. Specifically, we aim to challenge how we think about community sport board volunteers and the effectiveness of professionalized board structures.   Background As defined by the EU Expert Group on Good Governance (2013), sport governance is “the…

The new sport system landscape: Understanding the interrelationships between governance, brand, and social media in non-profit sport organizations

View the summary of this research here. Project summary  Today’s managers face unprecedented governance, economic/marketing, and technological realities affecting their processes and performance, aspects we understand poorly. Managers are under increased scrutiny from stakeholders regarding their credibility to govern themselves effectively, to demonstrate appropriate ethical leadership standards, and to maintain the trust of their members…

Governance in membership organizations

The landscape of Canadian sport is populated by thousands of membership based nonprofit organizations. In the sporting context, membership organizations are ones in which members pay fees motivated by their interest to participate in their chosen sport (for example, a Masters athlete paying dues to a local track club). As result of that financial investment,…

Opening the “Black Box”: Exploring board decision making in non-profit sport organizations operating in a multi-level governance system

Project summary  A central group responsible for the effective governance of non-profit sport organizations (NPSOs) and systems is the board of directors (Board). This group has the formal power and authority within an organization for which a central activity is to make decisions. Despite the need for decisions to be made, knowledge on this central…

Governance, strategy, evaluation: Digital future-proofing for sport organizations

As we transition into an increasingly online world, how can sport organizations not only cope, but thrive? What are the potential benefits of social media for sport organizations of all levels, and what are the downsides? SIRC put these questions to Michael Naraine, an Associate Professor of Sport Management at Brock University. Naraine’s research specializes…

Gold medal governance: Embracing a steward-leader board

This is the fourth blog post in a series designed to increase sport organizations’ capacity to govern well in an increasingly complex world. Check out the previous posts about the role of the board, strategic foresight and the keys to gold medal governance. — In the first blog that I wrote for the Gold Medal…