Lucie Thibault

Challenges in Multiple Cross-Sector Partnerships

This research examines challenges associated with partnerships among a group of cross-sector organizations. The context for this study is a nonprofit organization in Canadas sport system and its numerous partners in public, nonprofit, and commercial sectors. The results reveal challenges in the areas of structure and strategy. Specifically, data uncover structural challenges with respect to problems with governance, roles, and responsibilities guiding the partnerships and with the complexity of partnership forms and structures. The data also uncover strategic challenges, in light of the focus on competition versus collaboration among various partners and the changes in missions and objectives through the duration of the relationship. The results and implications for nonprofit organizations involved in multiple cross-sector partnerships are discussed.

Globalization and sport: sketching a theoretical model for empirical analyses.

This article outlines a theoretical model for the analysis of the impact of sport globalization on national sport systems based on an extensive review of the literature on globalization in general and of globalization of sport in particular. In the first section of the article, working definitions are provided. The second section presents each issue composing the “web of issues”; these issues are defined, and empirical data related to sport are used to support the discussion. The model is an attempt to regroup and consider all of the important factors in the tensions between the local and the global. Two central questions cut across the issues raised in the web: (a) how sport is contributing to and being transformed by globalization and (b) how the globalization of sport affects sport at the nation-state level. The article concludes that globalization transforms sport by inducing trends of homogenization as well as national diversity; sport also contributes to globalization in that it is a vehicle for global mass consumption culture.

Organizational Changes in Canada's Sport System: Toward an Athlete-Centred Approach1

Abstract Prompted by an examination of the sport system, a reorientation of priorities and actions around high performance sport has occurred in Canada. One of the important changes has been a shift away from the administrative aspects of sport delivery to a focus on the development of high performance athletes. This shift has meant that more resources are now invested directly in high performance athletes rather than in the administration of sport organizations. The purpose of this paper was to explore the reorientation in priorities, from the bureaucracy of sport to the athletes and their development. Using Pettigrews contextualist approach, we examined the content, context, and process of changes that led to the introduction of athlete-centred initiatives in Canadas sport system. Evidence of the change included increased representation of athletes on decision-making committees of sport federations, increased athlete funding, the creation of training centres, and a forum for athletes to resolve disputes with coaches and sport federations. The change to a more athlete-centred system was the result of pressures originating from the external and internal environments. Key individuals also played an important role in the athlete-centred change. The application of Pettigrews approach allowed us to discuss the nature of the changes that took place and to better understand the complexity of the change process in light of pressures originating from the context. This paper allowed us to reflect on the reorientation in Canadian sport from a focus on the structural and bureaucratic development of the system to an athlete-centred approach. We also discussed system-wide changes occurring in Canadian sport and uncovered the factors that led to greater athlete-centred programs and services.

Managing inter-organisational relationships: the art of plate spinning

Partnership management remains an underexplored area in academic literature, and empirical studies on the nature of interaction between organisations involved in relationships are few. This study empirically examined how multiple organisations in a cross-sectoral partnership used both formal controls and informal (social) processes to manage their relationships. This research employed qualitative methods to explore the extent to which both formal and informal processes were relied upon by individuals responsible for managing partnerships. Partnership managers in this study felt that formal controls such as defined objectives and strategies, division of costs, risks, and returns, and support and control mechanisms such as contracts and reporting structures limited interaction between organisations, and thus were not extensively employed. Participants reported that to a great extent, informal processes such as trust were used to ensure the effective interaction between organisations to allow the objectives of the relationship to be met. Recommendations for practitioners and future research are provided.

NEO-CORPORATISM: THE POLITICAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN CANADIAN AMATEUR SPORT AND FITNESS

A number of changes have occurred recently in the administration of fitness and amateur sport in Canada. The purpose of this paper is to assess the extent to which the federal government has adopted a neo-corporatist political approach to manage the number of interest groups in both fitness and amateur sport. Our analysis demonstrates that indeed several steps have been taken to ensure the coordination of interest groups in proposed changes to be made to the delivery of fitness and amateur sport. These steps well reflect neo-corporatist trends as they meet the three essential criteria for this political form. Through our assessment of a number of recent government and para-government documents as well as particular changes occurring within government, we explain how neo-corporatism has replaced pluralism in the domain of sport and fitness in Canada.

Sport Policy in Canada

IntroductionSection I - An Overview of Sport Policy in CanadaChapter I - The evolution of federal sport policy from 1960 to today, Lucie Thibault and Jean Harvey Chapter II - Multi-Level Governance and Sport Policy in Canada, Jean HarveyChapter III - Canada and Sport for Development and Peace, Bruce KiddSection II - The Canadian Sport Policy and its Impact on the Sport SystemChapter IV - High Performance Sport and the Canadian Sport Policy, Lisa M. KikulisChapter V - Athlete Development and Support, Lucie Thibault and Kathy BabiakChapter VI - Sport Participation, Peter DonnellySection III - Policy IssuesChapter VII - Olympic Ideals Versus the Performance Imperative: The History of Canadas Anti-Doping Policies , Rob BeamishChapter VIII - Hosting Policies of Sport Events in Canada, Cora McCloy and Lucie ThibaultChapter IX - The Double Helix: Aboriginal People and Sport Policy in Canada, Janice Forsyth and Vicky ParaschakChapter X - Policy on Sport for the Disabled, P. David HoweChapter XI - Women in Sport Policy, Parissa SafaiChapter XII - Official Languages and the Canadian Sport System: Steady Progress, Constant Vigilance Needed, Graham FraserChapter XIII - Sport and Social Inclusion, Wendy Frisby and Pam PonicConclusion

A Deliberative Democratic Approach to Athlete-Centred Sport: The Dynamics of Administrative and Communicative Power

Abstract This article examines the sport policy process in realizing an athlete-centred sport system through the lens of deliberative democracy. We examine the development of an athlete-centred system largely in the context of Canadian high performance sport; however global aspects of this trend are recognized. Athlete-centred initiatives in light of Habermass (1996) deliberative democracy theorys core concepts of administratively employed power and communicatively generated power are discussed. In particular, we demonstrate instances of communicative powers counter-steering capabilities of the states use of administrative power. The tensions between administrative and communicative power illustrated through efforts towards establishing an athlete-centred system are also presented. We conclude by discussing the implications for the potential for a deliberative democratic approach in realizing an athlete-centred sport system and raise important issues about its development.

Value Congruence in a Canadian Nonprofit Sport Organisation: A Case Study

At a time when company ethics and accountability continue to affect organisations, it is important for managers to understand the values held by their employees (Abbott, White, & Charles, 2005). Consequently, researchers focussing on the communications, manufacturing and academic settings have acknowledged the need for increased investigation of values and value congruence (cf. Abbott et al., 2005; Finegan, 2000; Jung & Avolio, 2000). The purpose of this study was to examine the level of value congruence between employees and their nonprofit sport organisation. A single case study design using qualitative and quantitative approaches (i.e., document analysis, observations, surveys and interviews) was adopted. The results of the study indicated congruent and incongruent terminal and instrumental value levels between employees and those stated or perceived as the organisations values. Congruent terminal values included self-respect, social recognition, freedom and inner harmony, while incongruent values included accomplishment, wisdom, equality and family security. Congruent instrumental values included ambitious, courageous, forgiven, and honest, while incongruent values included self-controlled, helpful, logical and capable. The authors discuss the implications of their findings and provide recommendations for future use of mixed methods and longitudinal research design to further understand the role of employee values and value congruence within organisations.

Canada: An Evolving Sport System

The purpose of this chapter is to examine Canada’s sport system and the role played in it by the numerous organisations involved. Specifically, it addresses the relationships between governments and non-profit sport federations operating at the national, provincial/territorial, and local levels. Canada’s sport federations, including both single-sport and multi-sport organisations, play a central function in ensuring Canadians’ access to sport participation programmes, and high-performance sport programmes. The nature of the relationship between governments and non-profit sport organisations is largely based on the financial resources provided by governments to non-profit sport organisations. Operating within public policies, procedures, and resources from three levels of government, Canada’s non-profit sport federations have had to address numerous challenges, for example, issues of coordination, power, and autonomy).