Sport entrepreneurship and public policy: future trends and research developments

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/JEPP-D-18-00099
Date11 March 2019
Published date11 March 2019
Pages207-216
AuthorVanessa Ratten
Subject MatterStrategy,Entrepreneurship,Business climate/policy
Sport entrepreneurship and
public policy: future trends and
research developments
Vanessa Ratten
La Trobe University, Bundoora, Australia
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to overcome the traditional general approach to sport policy by
taking an entrepreneurial perspective. This helps link the fragmented literatures of entrepreneurship, public
policy and sport entrepreneurship in order to develop a new perspective of sport entrepreneurship and
public policy.
Design/methodology/approach A literature review is conducted that highlights the need for public
policy to focus on entrepreneurship in sports contexts.
Findings In the past, sport policy focused more on governance and political elements but these can be
embedded into a policy entrepreneurship perspective regarding sport. This helps to redefine and bridge the
literature on sport entrepreneurship and public policy.
Originality/value Most sport policy research has tended to take a more organizational behavior or
political science approach. Thus, this paper takes a new perspective by incorporating the nascent sport
entrepreneurship literature into public policy debates. This is helpful to public policy planners but also sports
managers who need to work together to build better policy initiatives.
Keywords Public policy, Sport entrepreneurship
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Sport is often viewed in a positive manner due to its democratic nature and ability to
transcend cultural boundaries. However, there are also some elements of sport that have a
negative connotation in terms of public financing and projects that harm other parts of
society. This is seen in the building of sports arenas and other facilities that divert public
money from other segments of society. Thus, there is a debate about sport in terms of its
usefulness and way it can be used in policy circles because of its entrepreneurial nature and
its ability to adapt to different contexts (Bjarsholm, 2017). Gibson (1998, p. 49) defines sport
as a cultural experience of physical activityand most definitions follow this route by
focusing on physical elements although there is increased recognition of electronic forms of
sport. Sport is an ideology and way of life that is embedded in society for both leisure and
business purposes. Thus, sport can be considered not just as a form of physical activity but
also as a global industry that impacts other parts of society (Ratten, 2017).
There is some complexity about understanding the role sport plays in society due to its
complex nature and effect on different stakeholders. For example, governments see sport as
an important element of public policy in shaping consumer opinion whilst citizens view it
either as a form of entertainment or as a recreational pursuit. In addition, the effectiveness of
sport to solve social problems has been questioned due to increased interest in other forms
of policy initiatives. This means that despite the benefits of sport in terms of education and
social mobility, it still needs to be regulated and monitored. Governments and other policy
providers are doing this by valuing the role of sport but sometimes have been slow to react
to changes in the environment particularly in terms of new technology (Rose, 2005).
This means a new more open way of looking at the possibilities of sport is needed by
public policy planners ( Jones et al., 2017). Thus, it is useful to look at sport policy in an
entrepreneurial manner to see alternative ways of engaging sport in public policy debate
(Ratten, 2018).
Journal of Entrepreneurship and
Public Policy
Vol. 8 No. 1, 2019
pp. 207-216
© Emerald PublishingLimited
2045-2101
DOI 10.1108/JEPP-D-18-00099
Received 19 December 2018
Revised 27 January 2019
Accepted 27 January 2019
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/2045-2101.htm
207
Sport
entrepreneurship
and public policy

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