Benchmarking of élite sport systems

In recent times the concept of benchmarking has been advocated as a tool for improving management within the sport industry. For example, it is an underpinning principle of the UK Labour government’s drive for efficiency and effectiveness (Audit Commission, 2000), leading to the emergence of the National Benchmarking Service promoted by Sport England, the lead body for sport in England. However, the sector of sport management in which benchmarking has been most utilized is that of the management of elite sport systems where benchmarking has been considered as a good method of identifying the factors that lead to international sporting success

Performance and competitive orientation: team dynamics in test match cricket

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to examine the relationship between the diversity of team composition and the outcome enjoyed by those teams in test match cricket by using performance and competitiveness variables.Design/methodology/approachThe paper examines 100 test matches over 13 years played by eight test match‐playing countries. It draws on 12 measures of performance and 12 measures of competitiveness across more than 130 players.FindingsThe paper finds that there is a link between diversity and outcome, but it is not always clear as to which direction that relationship lies. Team characteristics are found to be a function of member characteristics and not a simple aggregate.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings of the paper are probably not generalisable outside of international test match cricket.Practical implicationThe paper provides evidence that suggests that, in developing sporting teams, consideration must be given as to which activities are more important in delivering outcomes.Originality/valueThe paper adds to the literature on team dynamics in terms of theory and sporting context.</jats:sec