Building a framework for issues management in sport through stakeholder theory

Do stakeholders matter in strategic decision making of a sports organization?

“…This attitude enables the maximization and maintenance of a favorable position in relation to all organizational interests in strategic decision making (Friedman et al, 2004). Thus, successful organizational management depends on the correct identification of stakeholders and subsequent assessment of their actual relevance in order to highlight who deserves priority and how (Neville et al, 2011).…”

“…As regards the identification and the subsequent relationship between stakeholders and the organization, Friedman, Parent & Mason (2004) suggest four aspects for identifying stakeholders: a) a direct or indirect connection between stakeholders and the organization; b) measurable interests; c) perceived as a legitimate and integral part of the organization; and d) stakeholders may undertake different functions.…”

“…Finally, salience was defined by Mitchell et al (1997) as the degree to which managers award priority to stakeholder requests resulting from the combination and accumulation of the previous attributes. Stakeholders should be attributed priority according to their level of salience in accordance with the following (Mitchell et al, 1997;Friedman et al, 2004): a) low, when stakeholders have only one attribute; b) moderate, when displaying two attributes; c) high, when attaining all three attributes. In this latter case, managers should prioritize these stakeholder requests.…”

“…According to Friedman et al (2004), not only do stakeholders need to identify their expectations and needs, but also evaluate the potential impact of environmental trends that may affect them.…”

The Youth Olympic Games: the best of the Olympics or a poor copy?

“…Chappelet & Kübler-Mabbott, 2008) and their position in relation to the IOC and the organizing committee has been noted (often by the IOC itself) using a variety of approaches from the hub-andspoke or starburst model, to the constellation model, to the concentric circles model, and to the inverted pyramid model (see Chappelet, 2012 for a description of these various stakeholder mapping approaches). What is important to remember is that the stakeholder map or environment of the focal organization and relationship characterization between the focal organization and its stakeholders are not static, they evolve over time, according to the issue at hand and the manager's perspective or cognitive understanding of their environment (Friedman, Parent, & Mason, 2004;Parent, 2008;Parent & Deephouse, 2007). Thus, changing one aspect, for example adding a goal such as one associated with culture or education, or changing the nature of a stakeholder, for example focusing on youth athletes, changes the stakeholder map.…”