A Conceptual Framework for the Study of Structural Configurations of Organising Committees for the Olympic Games (OCOGs).

Abstract

In recent years Organising Committees for the Olympic Games (OCOGs) have become increasingly interested in developing their Games specific management know-how which enables them to increase efficiency in a tight timescale. In response to calls for systematic capturing of information on structures, operational policies and plans (Elphinson, 1999) this paper proposes the use of configuration theory for the study of organisational formations of OCOGs. For the work of OCOGs to be documented and most importantly for knowledge to be meaningful to future OCOGs, researchers need to first understand OCOGs as an organisational species. The proposed approach can facilitate such thinking by allowing comparisons between data of an OCOGs structural and situational characteristics at various stages in its lifecycle and respective characteristics of a number of ‘ideal type’ configurations as defined by Mintzberg (1979, 1992). The proposed conceptual framework is discussed in this paper in an attempt to aid researchers in posing relevant questions, operationalising concepts and understanding the boundary conditions of the related research paradigm.