The nature of innovation in community sport organizations

ABSTRACT

Research question: The purpose of this investigation is threefold. First, as indications of the acquisition and creative use of knowledge, this study explores the extent to which community sport organizations (CSOs) are pursuing innovations. Second, these innovations are categorized based on their form, type, and magnitude. Third, the role that the sport context plays in the innovations that CSOs are pursuing is examined.

Research methods: Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 42 volunteer presidents (or designates) of CSOs, in curling, soccer, swimming, and Ultimate across Canada. Innovation was operationalized as anything new to the unit of adoption. Participants were asked to identify and discuss ideas and initiatives that were new to their sport club.

Results and Findings: CSO presidents identified 188 innovations in their clubs; 55 innovations in 12 curling clubs, 44 innovations in 11 soccer clubs, 49 innovations in 11 swim clubs, and 40 innovations in 8 Ultimate clubs. CSOs are actively involved in the pursuit of innovations, with a general focus on process related, administrative, and incremental innovations. Preliminary patterns were identified based on a comparison of innovation attributes across the four sports.

Implications: The findings provide a starting point for acknowledging the variety of innovations being pursued by CSOs and their different forms, types, and magnitude. CSOs need access to existing knowledge, from internal and external sources, or the ability to create new knowledge in order to adopt and implement the innovations.

KEYWORDS:

• Innovation
• community sport organization
• attributes of innovation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Sport Canada Participation Initiative fund [410-2010-1886].