A critical examination of how experiences shape board governance at the community level of sport

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to critically examine how individual board members’ behaviours and experiences shape board governance at the community level of sport. To serve the purpose, a qualitative ethnographic approach was appropriate. For one sport, six boards, across one province in Canada comprised the sample. Importantly, these boards govern sport clubs that serve thousands of sport participants in the community area. Observations during monthly/bi-monthly board meetings took place for 1 year with each board, alongside interviews with 30 board members. Data analysis was guided by an interpretative approach to thematic analysis underpinned by concepts related to design archetypes and organizational culture to search for patterns of meaning across the qualitative dataset. The findings illustrate how interrelated levels of culture influenced how board members engage in operational versus strategic governance priorities. Moreover, individual assumptions manifested in varying foci of sense of community (fragmented or cohesive) and the enactment of individual values influenced structural coherence and power. In turn, these assumptions and values shaped board member decision-making as well as board member contributions to board discussions. This study emphasizes how individual board members shape group-level criteria for effectiveness, principles of organizing and domain at the community level of sport.