Get ready to innovate! Staff’s disposition to implement service innovation in non-profit sport organisations

Abstract

While sport entrepreneurs are known for being risk-takers and for being proactive when implementing new ideas, little is known about individuals' attitudes within non-profit sport organisations. The present study draws on policy implementation and innovation theories to address this gap by investigating staff attitudes toward newness and its impact on innovativeness and change. An online survey was administered to representatives of regional sport federations in Belgium (n=101; 70 per cent response rate) in order to measure their attitude toward newness, the number of service innovation successfully implemented, and the levels of innovativeness and organisational change perceived. On average, sport federation staff show a positive attitude toward newness, which supports the implementation of service innovation. The number of service innovations and perceptions of innovativeness both have significant indirect effects on organisational change as perceived by individuals within sport federations. Managerial and policy implications are provided with regard to the need to develop positive attitude toward newness within non-profit sport organisations in order to foster innovation.

Analyzing the influence of employee values on knowledge management in sport organizations

“…At a sport organization's level, KM enables organizations to operate in more efficient way. Several researchers have stated their interest in introducing KM methods in sport organizations and understanding individuals' attitude and preferences towards new knowledge (Winand and Anagnostopoulos, 2017;Winand et al, 2016). Delshab and Sadeghi Boroujerdi (2018) stated that sport organizations should attempt to leverage and update the level of employees' knowledge through coding plans in order to create a more appropriate context for the application and creation of a desirable KM.…”

Constraints and Strategies to Scaling Up in Sport for Development and Peace Organizations: Evidence From the Field

“…Another constraint faced by SDP organizations is related to staffing. Although volunteers of nonprofit sport organizations can be open to change and risk-taking (Winand & Anagnostopoulos, 2017), preliminary work has also shown that SDP organizations may be constrained by the skill sets of their employees, who are often younger and passionate about sport but do not necessarily have training in nonprofit management (Welty Peachey, Cohen, Musser, & Shin, 2018).…”

Examining the Innovation Process of a Graduate Apprenticeship Program for Sport Organizations

“…For example, the innovation champion is an individual committed to ensuring the development and success of an innovation (see Greenhalgh et al, 2014;Hoeber & Hoeber, 2012;Winand & Anagnostopoulos, 2017). Greenhalgh et al (2014) found the innovation champion for a new NFL mobile app pushed transformation at the managerial level toward higher risk taking and a more receptive attitude toward innovation.…”

“…In terms of organizational attitude, for instance, favoring of newness in nonprofit sport organizations has resulted in knowledge creation/appropriation and innovation among staff members (Winand, Scheerder, Vos, & Zintz, 2016). When innovations were successful, they had a multiplier effect in building confidence in change (Winand & Anagnostopoulos, 2017). Motivation also plays a key role in determining whether a sport organization engages in innovative behavior.…”