Developing a method for comparing the elite sport systems and policies of nations : a mixed research methods approach.

DE BOSSCHER, V, SHIBLI, S, VAN BOTTENBURG, M, DE KNOP, P and TRUYENS, J (2010). Developing a method for comparing the elite sport systems and policies of nations : a mixed research methods approach. Journal of Sport Management, 24 (5), 567-600.

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Abstract

This article aims to make a contribution to comparative sport research and details a method for comparing nations’ elite sport systems less descriptively by measuring and comparing determinants of national competitiveness quantitatively. A mixed methods exploratory sequential design is used, consisting of two distinct phases. After qualitative exploration, a conceptual model was developed, revealing that there are nine sport policy dimensions or ’pillars’ that are important for international sporting success. This article focuses on a second quantitative phase, where the model was tested in a pilot study with six sample nations to develop a scoring system. Data from each nation were collected through an overall sport policy questionnaire completed in each country, and through a survey with the main stakeholders in elite sport, namely athletes (n = 1090), coaches (n = 253), and performance directors (n= 71). Reflecting recognized principles of economic competitiveness measurement, this article demonstrates how 103 critical success factors containing quantitative and qualitative data can be aggregated into a final percentage score for the sample nations on each pillar. The findings suggest that the method is a useful way for objective comparison of nations, but it should not be isolated from qualitative descriptions and from a broader understanding of elite sport systems.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	UoA26
Research Institute, Centre or Group - Does NOT include content added after October 2018:	Sport Industry Research Centre
Page Range:	567-600
Depositing User:	Rebecca Jones
Date Deposited:	15 May 2012 13:44
Last Modified:	18 Mar 2021 20:30
URI:	https://shura.shu.ac.uk/id/eprint/5044

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