The Modernization of Policy-Making Processes in National Sport Organizations: A Case Study of Athletics Canada Mathew Dowling1 Jim Denison2 Marvin Washington2 1University of St. Mark and St. John 2University of Alberta This article explores the consequences of modernization on the policy-making processes of a singular National Sport Organization: Athletics Canada. In drawing upon the works of Green and Houlihan (2005) as a baseline comparison, we examine how the organizations’ policy-making processes have changed over a 10-year period (2002-2012). Specifically, our analysis focuses on the nature and extent of these intra- organizational policy-related changes and how they have influenced the organization’s decision-making capabilities. The descriptive analysis is informed by empirical data collected from eight in-depth semi-structured interviews with senior Athletics Canada personnel and concentrates on three inter-related themes (i) the development and prioritization of Own the Podium funded policies and programs; and (ii) the development and prioritization of evidence-based policies and programs, which, in turn, has resulted in (iii) increased inter-organizational relationship strain between Athletics Canada and its key delivery partners. More broadly, our investigation contributes to recent amateur sport scholarship that has sought to better understand how these broader socio-political shifts have influenced the specific decision-making processes of sport organizations. he examination of organizational perspectives and concepts in order to change and reform has been a understand and explain the nature and T central thread to discussions extent of change evident within amateur surrounding amateur sport. Scholars have sport organizations. These include, but are drawn upon a raft of theoretical not limited to, commercialization (e.g., Journal of Amateur Sport Volume One, Issue One Dowling et al., 2015 78 Slack, 2004), professionalization (e.g., related developments. The first of which Thibault, Slack, & Hinings, 1991; has been Canada’s successful bid to host the Macintosh, Bedecki, & Franks, 1987; 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. Macintosh & Whitson, 1990), and The Vancouver Winter Olympic Games organizational and institutional theory (e.g., were the third Olympic Games to be hosted O’Brien & Slack, 2003, 2004; Kikulis, Slack, in Canada (previously Canada hosted the & Hinings, 1992; Washington & Patterson, Montreal 1976 Summer Olympic Games 2011). Sport policy scholars have also drawn and the Calgary 1988 Winter Olympic upon a number of meso-level theoretical Games) with Canada having failed twice to concepts to explain organizational and win a single gold medal on home soil – the systemic change. These include policy only host country in Olympic history to do communities and advocacy coalitions so. In response to Canada’s successful bid (Green, 2004; Green & Houlihan, 2005), and to ensure that Canada would achieve its lesson drawing and policy transfer (Green, target of first place on the podium at the 2007), and path-dependency (Green & 2010 Olympic Winter Games and place top Collins, 2008). More recent discussions three at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games surrounding organization and systemic (Priestner Allinger & Allinger, 2004), high change have centred on more specific issues performance stakeholders established a of corporate or organizational governance C$117 million technical program initiative (e.g., Hoye & Cuskelly, 2007; Shilbury & entitled ‘Own the Podium 2010’ (OTP) Ferkins, 2011) and much broader concerns (Priestner Allinger & Allinger, 2004). The surrounding the modernization and the following high performance stakeholders introduction of New Managerialism (NM) met in Calgary: Sport Canada, and New Public Management (NPM) into National/Multi-Sport Organisations, the sport which are closely linked to what has Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), the collectively become known as the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC), the ‘governance debate’ (Rhodes, 1996; for its Canadian Sport Centres/Institute Network, application to sport see Goodwin & Grix, and WinSport Canada (previously the 2011; Grix, 2010; Grix & Phillpots, 2011; Canadian Olympic Delivery Authority) Phillpots, Grix, & Quarmby, 2011). The initiative began in 2004, and was Within the Canadian sport context, specifically designed to ensure that Canada recent reform of the amateur sport had its most successful Olympic Games landscape in general and National Sport ever by “provid[ing] expertise and Organizations (NSOs), the national level leadership to NSOs whose athletes are sport organizations responsible for capable of winning medals at the 2010 governing over specific sports, in particular Winter Games” (OTP, n.d.b., p. 1). This has been underpinned by two major, inter- unprecedented collaborative venture Journal of Amateur Sport Volume One, Issue One Dowling et al., 2015 79 resulted in the creation of Canada’s first required to understand how these recent ever agency for high performance sport. developments – particularly federal These developments (i.e. Vancouver government-related developments – have 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic influenced amateur sport organizations in Games and the creation of OTP) have also Canada. As Thibault and Harvey (2013) been paralleled, and largely supported by, a note, “contemporary analysis of substantial increase in federal government government involvement in ‘amateur’ sport investment in high performance sport in is not only warranted, it is essential given recent years (De Bosscher, Bingham, Shibli, the significant changes that have occurred in Van Bottenburg, & De Knop, 2006; Green Canadian sport” (Thibault & Harvey, 2013, & Houlihan, 2005; Grix & Carmichael, p. 11). Hence, although previous 2012; Thibault & Harvey, 2013). Over the scholarship has provided valuable previous two summer Olympic contributions to our understanding of the quadrennials, for example, Canada has nature and extent of these broader socio- witnessed a doubling of federal government political shifts (e.g., modernization and investment into Olympic summer sports governance), little is still known about the programs from C$52,297,871 during the specific consequences of these broader Beijing quadrennial to C$117,512,216 in the shifts for sport organizations further down lead up to the London 2012 Games (OTP, the delivery system (for exceptions within n.d.a). This increased levels of investment the UK context see Adams, 2011; Grix, have, however, resulted in increasing 2009). Questions that still remain involvement of federal government in sport unanswered within the Canadian sport to ensure that taxpayer funding is well spent context include, for example, how has (Green & Houlihan, 2005; Thibault & Canada’s successful bid and subsequent Harvey, 2013). The implications of this hosting influenced sport organizations in increasing involvement of government in Canada? Similarly, what influence (if any) sport generally and Canadian sport has the creation of OTP had on sport specifically has been well documented organizations? As such, the purpose of this (Green & Houlihan, 2005; Grix & investigation is to explore the influence of Carmichael, 2012; Macintosh, Bedecki, & these recent developments on the policy- Franks, 1990; Macintosh & Whitson, 1990; making processes of one NSO: Athletics Thibault & Harvey, 2013). Canada. To this end, we draw upon the In light of the ongoing amateur sport- discussions surrounding the modernization related discussions surrounding of sport and the insights generated from a organizational change and reform and the singular case study of Athletics Canada to abovementioned major developments examine how the organizations’ policy- within Canadian sport, more research is Journal of Amateur Sport Volume One, Issue One Dowling et al., 2015 80 making processes have changed over a 10- organizations more generally and sport year period (2002-2012). organizations specifically in order to achieve its own objectives. Modernization and sport Houlihan and Green (2009) investigated Many scholars have examined the the causes and consequences of impact of modernization within sport (cf. modernization on two Non-Departmental Adams, 2011; Green & Houlihan, 2005, Public Bodies (UK Sport and Sport 2006; Grix, 2009; Grix & Parker, 2011; England) within the United Kingdom. The Houlihan & Green, 2009; Sam, 2009, 2011) authors found that modernization was even despite the concept’s lack of precision. primarily driven by central government, This is not to suggest that the concept of with some evidence of a perceived need for modernization is meaningless. For change within the two organizations. The Finlayson (2003), “modernisation appears to consequences of modernization (i.e. reform) refer to a large scale sense of change, for these governmental agencies were development and transformation, greater decision-making constraints on something different to what has come professional staff, the marginalization of before” (p. 16). From this perspective, certain sporting interests, and the increasing Finlayson (2003, p. 63) described adoption of business-like principles (e.g., modernization as an ‘up’ word that implies evidence-based decision making and improvement, progression and change for accountability measures). The latter (i.e. the the better. Houlihan and Green (2009, p. adoption of business-like principles), in 679) offer the closest articulation to a particular, had also resulted in a narrowing precise definition by referring