Tracey J. Dickson

Developing a Framework for Evaluating Olympic and Paralympic Legacies

This paper seeks to add to the discourse surrounding Olympic and Paralympic legacies by proposing a flexible research framework that draws from previous research on legacies. It is noted that the bulk of the research has focussed on summer Olympics with little interest in Winter Olympics and virtually none for either the Summer or Winter Paralympics. Using the legacy radar framework, ‘profiles’ may be generated to aid in the comparison between diverse legacies that may occur in different fields, such as sport, infrastructure, social capital, the environment and economic impacts, over a range of dimensions including time, place and costs. It is suggested that this framework has the potential for further development to reflect the changing agendas of host communities and interest groups. The dimensions include positive and negative legacies and metrics that may be applied across events.

It's All About the Games! 2010 Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Volunteers

Despite volunteers being essential for the success of many mega sport events, there is little known about what motivates them to volunteer at such events. This study aims to address this gap. This article commences by developing getz’s event portfolio into a new expanded sport event typology. It continues by presenting the results to three key questions: (1) who is volunteering? (2) what are their motivations for volunteering, and (3) what variables are most likely to be related to their intention to volunteer after the event. The study used an adaptation of the Special Event Volunteer Motivation Scale on volunteers at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic winter games. A principal components analysis of the 36 motivation items identified six factors that accounted for 58.3% of the variance, with the main factor entitled “All about the games.” A regression analysis conducted to identify those variables most likely to indicate an intention to volunteer more after the games demonstrated that those who could see an advantage in more volunteering pregames were most likely to intend to increase their level of volunteering postgames. People with previous volunteering experience in events, sport, or community groups were less likely to indicate they would volunteer more after the event. The results and recommendations have implications for megamultisport event organizing committees not just in respect of event delivery but in terms of a postevent volunteer legacy.

Mega-event volunteers, similar or different? Vancouver 2010 vs London 2012

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare motivations of volunteers at two mega multi-sport events. Design/methodology/approach – The research used a quantitative research design to survey volunteers at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (n=2,066) and the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games (n=11,451) via an online questionnaire based upon the Special Event Volunteer Motivation Scale. Findings – The results indicate that the volunteers, most of whom had previously volunteered, were motivated by similar variables, including the uniqueness of the event, the desire to make it a success and to give back to their community. The results of the principal components analysis indicated that most items of the scale loaded onto similar components across the two research contexts. Research limitations/implications – There were methodological limitations in terms of the timing of the questionnaire administration and Likert scales used, however, these issues were controlled by gatekeepers. These limitations could have research implication for comparative studies of volunteers at mega events. Practical implications – Understanding volunteer motivations will enable event managers and volunteer managers to plan for legacy. Social implications – Volunteer motivations include wanting to give back to their community and therefore, increases the potential for volunteer legacy. Originality/value – This is the first research that: enables comparison of winter and summer Olympic and Paralympic Games volunteers; has substantial sample sizes in relation to the variables; applies higher item loadings to strengthen the analysis; and involves the use of the same instrument across events.

Customer service, employee welfare and snowsports tourism in Australia

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to explore the extent to which employee welfare and human resource management impacts on customer service.Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from a number of operational staff of the Mount Kosciusko ski fields in Australia. The staff was selected at random and comprised both permanent local staff and seasonal staff, and completed a self‐administered questionnaire.Findings – The results highlight the challenging living conditions of many seasonal workers on whom the industry depends and at the organizational level this research demonstrates a need for effective management skills and employment strategies that reflect the needs of seasonal staff. As was shown, there is a relationship between staff satisfaction, camaraderie and customer satisfaction.Research limitations/implications – To better gauge the extent to which this research is applicable to all “front line” employees this study could be replicated in such locations as islands or isolated resorts wit...

Exploring overseas snowsport participation by Australian skiers and snowboarders.

Purpose – While Australian snowsport participation may represent a small part of the overall international snowsport market, the fact that Australians are renowned for their willingness to travel makes the travel motives and behaviours of Australian skiers and snowboarders a worthwhile area of research. This paper aims to address this issue.Design/methodology/approach – This exploratory research was conducted via online survey using both convenience and snowball sampling to investigate overseas snowsport travel intentions, in the next seven months, of Australian skiers and snowboarders, many of whom were advanced participants.Findings – People who indicated that they intended to travel overseas for snowsport were mostly males, experienced snowsport participants, under 35 years of age, well‐educated, and in higher income levels. The results indicate that the key motivations of those intending to travel overseas relate to the core of on‐snow experience: reliability of snow, quality of snow, variety of terra...

Risk in Outdoor Activities: The Perception, the Appeal, the Reality

The existence of risk is a readily accepted in many outdoor and experiential programs. This paper seeks to explore, to raise questions and to encourage discussion about what may influence our perceptions of risk, the reasons why people may pursue risk and lastly what the rea! level of physical risk is within outdoor programs. The first two questions give rise to further questions about how we define risk and thus, how best to assess and manage risk. The latter point is covered through an analysis of the available accident and incident data which highlights the need for a more extensive and coordinated effort to clearly identify the real level of physical risk involved in outdoor programs.

Snowboarding Injuries in Australia: Investigating Risk Factors in Wrist Fractures to Enhance Injury Prevention Strategies

OBJECTIVE To investigate risk factors associated with wrist fractures in snowboarders to inform future snowsport safety strategies. METHODS A prospective case-control study using a nonprobability convenience sample was conducted with data collected via a respondent-completed questionnaire. Subjects consisted of snowboarders with a snowboard-related injury who presented to one of 10 medical centers and physiotherapy clinics in resort medical centers and gateway communities across the Australian snowsport season in 2007. Those presenting with injuries other than wrist fractures acted as the control. RESULTS The 611 respondents reported 802 injuries (61.3% were males and 51.5% were aged 16-25 years). Protective equipment was worn by 57.0% of respondents. The main reason for not wearing a wrist guard was that they did not see the need; of these, 12.9% experienced a wrist fracture. Most injuries occurred on-piste, in a terrain park, or in a lesson. The main mechanism of injury was falling. The major risk factors for wrist fractures were being less than 16 years of age (OR 3.97, CI 2.54-6.22), being in the alpine area for a holiday (OR 2.77, CI 1.47-5.21), and being a first-day snowboard participant (OR 2.02, CI 1.15-3.64). A direct logistic regression indicated that 3 variables had a statistically significant contribution to the model (being less than 16 years old, being on holidays in the region, and not wearing a wrist guard). CONCLUSIONS The key risk factors in this Australian study reflect other international studies, providing a clear market segment for targeted snowsport safety messages: those less than 16 years old, visitors to the alpine regions, and those not wearing wrist guards.

Easiest Routes and Slow Zones: How Fast Do I Go?: Speeds and Distances of Recreational and Expert Snowsport Participants

High speeds in snowsports have been associated with both the affective appeal as well as the risk of injury. Previous research of speeds of snowsport participants have been recorded on limited terrain or a single run using static radar guns or speed cameras. However, from a resort design and management perspective, more information is needed about areas of potential risk where there are a variety of users, skill levels, and speed. This exploratory research seeks to understand the actual and perceived distance and speeds traveled by a variety of snowsport participants over their day’s participation as well in resort-designated “slow zones.” A convenience sample of expert and recreational participants was recruited in a Western Canadian resort during the 2010–2011 season. A GPS-based data-logging device recorded speed, distance, duration, and location. Participants completed a questionnaire covering demographics, perceptions of maximum speed and distance traveled, and recommended speeds in slow zones. Data was collected over 102 sessions for alpine skiers, snowboarders, and telemarkers who traveled >4.5 km during their data-collection period: age range 9–80 years (x¯ = 42.0), 39.8 % females and 67.6 % advanced/expert. Total skiing/boarding time logged was 497 h (17 min–7 h, 38 min, x¯ = 4 h, 52 min) covering 4475 km (x¯ = 43.87 km). Estimates of distance traveled was 3–100 km (x¯ = 33.70 km, SD = 21.98 km). Maximum speeds recorded were 20.2–108.5 km/h (x¯ = 62.06 km/h); all but two recorded maximum speeds >23 km/h. Estimated maximum speeds ranged from 1–100 km/h (x¯ = 50.82 km/h). A paired sample t-test of estimated and actual maximum speeds was significant (p = .000). Participants’ recommendation for speeds in slow zones ranged from 5 to 60 km/h (x¯ = 23.8 km/h, mode = 30 km/h). Participants were generally unaware of the distances they traveled and the maximum speeds achieved, with most traveling in slow zones at speeds greater than their own recommendations.

Training of Vancouver 2010 volunteers: a legacy opportunity?

The successful delivery of a mega sport event depends upon a volunteer workforce. It is often asserted that the training of event volunteers contributes to the creation of a social legacy via the transfer of learning to other volunteer contexts, thereby creating an enhanced volunteer pool after the event, which will support the tourism and events industries in the host communities. This article reflects upon the reality of that assertion and argues that in order to achieve legacy both training and development strategies are required. As such an analysis of data collected at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games around training and legacy is discussed. A Legacy Training and Development Model is offered and subsequently applied to the case study. The article concludes by suggesting that training at Vancouver 2010 was a missed opportunity in achieving legacy.

Sport mega-event volunteers' motivations and postevent intention to volunteer: the Sydney World Masters Games, 2009.

Investment in mega-sport events is frequently justified on the basis that there are infrastructure and social legacies that remain after the event. This research explores the claims of a social legacy through a pre- and post-Games survey of volunteers at the Sydney world Masters Games 2009 (SwMG). Through online surveys the research explores pre-and post-volunteer motivations, postevent volunteering intentions before the Games and actual volunteer behavior after the Games. The pre-Games survey supports previous research that a desire to be involved in the event motivates people to volunteer. however, the postevent expression of motivations shifted to a more altruistic focus. The postevent volunteering intentions as indicated in the preevent survey would support the claim of a social legacy; however, this was not supported by the postevent measures of volunteering levels. The use of a pre- and postevent survey has highlighted that the timing of measures of motivations can influence responses and one may not depend on preevent intentions as an indicator of postevent behaviors.