SPEX 209 EXAM OTAGO UNIVERSITY 2019

Types of Organisations

Organisations can be grouped into several types, each with distinct characteristics:

• Voluntary Sector: These are non-profit organisations that operate on social causes, relying on volunteers for their work.
• Private Sector: This includes businesses that are privately owned and focus on profit generation.
• Structural Hybrids & Heretics: These organisations blend elements from both non-profit and for-profit sectors to meet their goals.
• Transnational Entities: These organisations operate across national borders, engaging in activities in multiple countries.

Why Should We Care About How Sport is Organised?

It's important to understand how sport is organised because it directly affects the effectiveness of operations, which in turn influences performance, participation rates, and policies in the sports industry.

The Dimensions of Organisational Structure

Several key dimensions define how organisations function:

• Specialisation: This refers to how tasks are divided among different individuals or teams, enhancing efficiency through focused expertise.
• Formalisation: The extent to which established rules and procedures govern an organisation's operations.
• Centralisation: The level of concentration of decision-making authority within the organisational hierarchy.

Specialisation Is?

Specialisation describes the degree to which an organisation differentiates its roles, making clear distinctions between tasks to enhance operation efficiency and effectiveness.

Horizontal Differentiation

This term refers to the major divisions or departments within an organisation and outlines how they are further subdivided based on criteria such as location, function, or product type.

Specialisation Is Related To What?

Specialisation characteristics include:

• Efficiency: Experts can perform tasks more quickly and effectively with minimal supervision.
• Accountability: Specialists adhere to strict professional standards and responsibilities.

Disadvantages Related to Specialisation

While specialisation has benefits, it can also lead to several disadvantages, including:

• Coordination Issues: Difficulties in synchronizing activities across different specialised units.
• Accountability Challenges: Increased complexity in tracking responsibility among multiple specialists.
• Narrow Perspectives: Specialists may overlook wider issues due to their focused roles.
• Cost Implications: Maintaining a specialised workforce can lead to higher operational costs.
• Dehumanising Impact: Over-specialisation can lead to monotonous tasks and lower worker morale.

Formalisation

Formalisation involves creating and enforcing documented rules and procedures to guide organisational operations. Key components include:

• Standardised Practices: Methods consistently applied to ensure uniformity.
• Policies: Guidelines that steer organisational behavior and processes.
• Roles and Job Descriptions: Clear definitions of responsibilities and expectations for positions within the organisation.

Goal Displacement

Goal displacement is when an organisation prioritizes secondary objectives, potentially overlooking its primary mission or purpose.

Centralisation

Centralisation refers to how decision-making authority is concentrated within an organisation. A high level of centralisation indicates that decisions are made primarily at the top levels of management, while low centralisation means more authority is distributed across various lower levels.

Centralised vs Decentralised

• Centralised: In this structure, decision-making happens at a single point, usually at higher management levels.
• Decentralised: This structure allows decision-making to be distributed across various levels, especially lower-level managers, promoting local engagement.

Arguments for More Centralised Structures

There are several arguments for adopting a centralised organisational structure, such as:

• Better Coordination: Streamlined decision-making allows for enhanced coherence across the organisation.
• More Experienced Leadership: Centralised decision-making often involves experienced leaders with in-depth knowledge.
• Wider Perspective on Decisions: A central view helps ensure alignment with the overall mission.
• Cost Efficiency: Reducing redundancies can lead to improved economic performance.

Decentralised

Decentralised organisations capitalise on the effectiveness of smaller operational units, promoting:

• Pluriformity: Greater ability to adapt to local conditions and needs.
• Innovation: Encouragement of creative solutions tailored to local contexts.
• Proximity Benefits: Fostering trust and community engagement through closer relationships with stakeholders.

Paradoxes

Paradoxes in organisational life are situations that appear contradictory but coexist, often creating complex dynamics that impact overall functionality.

Simons Proverbs

These proverbs highlight that coordination challenges stemming from diverse opinions can be managed by limiting the number of subordinates reporting to one manager, thereby enhancing administrative efficiency.

The Paradoxes of Centralisation

Centralisation can improve coordination by aligning organisational goals but may also introduce certain tensions and challenges within the structure.

Partnerships

Partnerships serve as alternatives to traditional public service delivery models, facilitating collaboration and resource-sharing between different entities for mutual benefits.

Partnerships as Discourse

This approach emphasizes breaking down silos within organisations, promoting collaboration with the concept that the government should 'steer' rather than 'row' to engage more fully with community needs.

Why Public-Private Partnerships?

These partnerships arise from the acknowledgment that governments have limited capacity to command and control resources, necessitating cooperative approaches for effective service delivery.

The Significance of Partnerships in Sport and Recreation

Partnerships significantly contribute to the expansion of services aligned with public objectives in areas such as:

• Health and Wellness: Fostering active lifestyles.
• Social Development: Building stronger communities.
• Advocacy: Supporting underrepresented groups.
• Migrant Integration: Assisting the adaptation of diverse populations.

RSTs Goals

The primary goal of Regional Sports Trusts (RSTs) is to increase participation in sports, recreation, and physical leisure activities within their communities.

RST

RSTs focus on liaising with schools and clubs to ensure coordination of systems in place, with an emphasis on supporting long-term planning for sports and recreation in their regions.

Regional Trusts Will

The role of Regional Trusts includes developing strategies to enhance participation in sports while facilitating collaboration among recreational organisations.

Regional Sports Trusts Have

Regional Sports Trusts have struggled with a lack of leadership from central agencies, which has affected their operational effectiveness.

Working with SPARC

RSTs are expected to report twice a year to SPARC on their progress against targets set in their business plans.

RSTs are Important Centers of Influence

RSTs act as vital centres of influence, shaping policies and decisions in sports and recreation within their communities.

Trade-offs: How Can Alignment and Coordination be Achieved?

Achieving alignment and coordination within organisations can be accomplished through measures such as adopting a Return to Command model, where formal processes and structures promote centralised decision-making.

Grants

Grants are often directed towards specific projects rather than ongoing administrative support, leading to the establishment of numerous initiatives within the sector.

Counting

Counting introduces necessary aspects of monitoring and evaluation, which are essential for measuring organisational effectiveness.

Evaluation and Monitoring

These processes are crucial for ensuring accountability, commonly assessing services and outcomes in terms of '