ABSTRACT

Research question

The societal impact of elite sports attracts increasing attention in academia and sport policy. In this paper, we show how public value management theory enhances the understanding of the way social impacts can be created and supported. We answer the research question: how do policy makers in the Northern Netherlands develop a public value proposition in order to legitimise investments in the elite sports management environment?

Research methods

Data for this article were gathered from January 2019 to February 2020 using a qualitative fieldwork approach and from the study of policy documents. The first fieldwork phase entailed an exploratory study using focus groups and one-to-one meetings (n = 24). In the second research phase, the focus shifted towards an action-based design, employing four focus group sessions (n = 22). For the final phase, a group of civil servants and decision makers convened in four working sessions.

Results and Findings

We show that (1) the funding of elite sport in the Northern Netherlands incorporated within broader talent development opportunities legitimises investments, (2) these investments need to go hand in hand with active stakeholder management and (3) these investments hold particular significance in regions with peripheral characteristics.

Implications

This study provides public sector sports managers with a framework in which they can increase the societal impact of elite sports by developing public value propositions. This article contributes to the concretisation of public value theory by detailing how public value propositions are drafted and re-drafted to engage a coalition of supporters in the authorising environment.

中文翻译：

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在荷兰北部发展精英体育的公共价值主张

摘要

研究问题

精英体育的社会影响越来越受到学术界和体育政策的关注。在本文中，我们展示了公共价值管理理论如何增强对创造和支持社会影响方式的理解。我们回答研究问题：荷兰北部的政策制定者如何制定公共价值主张，以使对精英体育管理环境的投资合法化？

研究方法

本文的数据是从 2019 年 1 月至 2020 年 2 月使用定性实地工作方法和政策文件研究收集的。第一个实地考察阶段需要使用焦点小组和一对一会议（n  = 24）进行探索性研究。在第二个研究阶段，重点转向基于行动的设计，采用四个焦点小组会议（n  = 22）。在最后阶段，一群公务员和决策者召开了四次工作会议。

结果和发现

我们表明 (1) 荷兰北部精英体育的资金纳入更广泛的人才发展机会使投资合法化，(2) 这些投资需要与积极的利益相关者管理齐头并进，(3) 这些投资在地区具有特殊意义具有外围特征。

影响

本研究为公共部门的体育管理者提供了一个框架，在该框架中，他们可以通过制定公共价值主张来增加精英体育的社会影响。本文详细介绍了公共价值主张是如何起草和重新起草的，以在授权环境中吸引支持者联盟，从而有助于公共价值理论的具体化。