Exploring the culture of a sporting organisation

Abstract

Of all the things an organisation can control, the way in which it operates is the most influential factor contributing to its success (Smith, Stewart & Haimes, 2012). The way an organisation operates is considered its culture, yet there is contention about how it is best assessed. Previous research to determine organisational culture has also focused on businesses, and less so on organisations involved in sport that are more often run by volunteers and comprised of members that participate and contribute for reasons other than remuneration. Identifying the culture of a volunteer run sporting organisation furthers the understanding about the unique aspects of volunteer run and sporting organisations.Therefore a sports club run by volunteers was chosen to have its culture assessed. To identify an organisation's culture, Schein (2010) proposes an organisation's culture possesses three levels: a superficial layer of artefacts of how the organisation is observed to operate; a layer of values the organisation's members espouse as what they think is important; and the deeper layer of things members assume are correct because they have shared experiences of their success with other members. The learning that members experience together generates these assumptions, hence focus groups and interviews with club members were performed to uncover how they operate most effectively to solve the problems that limit access to their goals. From an analysis of these discussions, assumptions were identified that define the culture of the whole club. Assumptions of interest include the method and extent that the club and its coaches influence each other's operation; the influence of the club's history on its culture; and the rationale behind member's contributions to the club. Additionally, this investigation's methodology to assess organisational culture using Schein's framework was shown to be effective, but recommendations to improve on its weaknesses were identified. Opportunities for future research using this investigation's methodology, and for study of sporting organisations and their coaches were also identified.ii Declaration by authorThis thesis is composed of my original work, and contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference has been made in the text. I have clearly stated the contribution by others to jointly-authored works that I have included in my thesis.

Position statement: Research and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples in rural health journals

“…The culture within any organisation is the combined perception of its members. An organisations culture possesses three levels; a superficial layer that shows how the organisation is observed to operate; a layer of values the organisations members adopt as what they believe is important; and the deeper layer of things members assume are correct because they have shared experiences with other members (Field, 2017). The accumulation of people with similar assumptions builds a strong culture that is difficult to change.…”

“…The culture within any organisation is the combined perception of its members and is comprised of superficial, inter-personal and interpersonal layers (Cerna, 2014;Field, 2017). The accumulation of people with similar presumptions builds a strong culture that is difficult to change.…”