From sport policy to national federation sport policy: An integrative literature review and conceptualisation attempt

The notion of sport policy is a relatively recent subject of study, but it has been frequently used over the last 20 years, particularly referring to governmental sport policies. However, less research has been conducted in the field of national sport federations (NSFs), which are key non-governmental structures in governing, organising and sustaining the development of sports. The objective of this article is to propose a conceptualisation of the notion of sport policy adapted to NSFs. The proposed approach consists of two steps: first, we conducted an extensive integrative literature review around the notion of sport policy. Second, based on the literature review, we developed a model that conceptualises what an NSF sport policy is. This conceptual model is intended to be a useful analytical tool to design, implement and assess the success of a sport policy for both researchers and practitioners working in the field of NSFs

The engagement of actors during the formulation of a national federation sport policy: an analysis within the French Rugby Union

The purpose of this research is to explore the process of engagement of actors initiated by the headquarters of a national sport federation during the formulation of its sport policy. The ActorNetwork Theory and its four phases (problematisation, incentive, enrolment and mobilisation of allies) are used to understand the dynamics of actors during the process, with an emphasis on the constitution, expansion and stabilization of the actors’ network. As part of an intervention research within the French Rugby Union over the 2013-2016 period, three series of semistructured interviews (58) were conducted with both national and regional actors with various statuses. The French case is of interest beyond France because the organisational configuration of the national federations has specific characteristics that are common to different countries: pyramid structure, state intervention (both financial and human) and relationships between volunteers and employees. The results of this study demonstrate that the process of designing a sport policy is not linear. In addition, some elements that are favourable for the engagement of actors are highlighted, such as having a defined scope of the sport policy to be designed and designating key actors regarding the formulation of the sport policy. These actors should be able to act as spokespersons in front of other actors in the network. The innovative methodology used in our research is relevant to policy makers because it helps them engage other actors during a concrete transformation project, namely, the formulation of a policy

From sport policy to national federation sport policy: An integrative literature review and conceptualisation attempt

The notion of sport policy is a relatively recent subject of study, but it has been frequently used over the last 20 years, particularly referring to governmental sport policies. However, less research has been conducted in the field of national sport federations (NSFs), which are key non-governmental structures in governing, organising and sustaining the development of sports. The objective of this article is to propose a conceptualisation of the notion of sport policy adapted to NSFs. The proposed approach consists of two steps: first, we conducted an extensive integrative literature review around the notion of sport policy. Second, based on the literature review, we developed a model that conceptualises what an NSF sport policy is. This conceptual model is intended to be a useful analytical tool to design, implement and assess the success of a sport policy for both researchers and practitioners working in the field of NSFs

Relationships between Personality Traits, Medial Temporal Lobe Atrophy, and White Matter Lesion in Subjects Suffering from Mild Cognitive Impairment

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a heterogeneous cognitive status that can be a prodromal stage of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). It is particularly relevant to focus on prodromal stages of AD such as MCI, because patho-physiological abnormalities of AD start years before the dementia stage. Medial temporal lobe (MTL) atrophy resulting from AD lesions and cerebrovascular lesions [i.e., white matter lesions (WML), lacunar strokes, and strokes] are often revealed concurrently on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in MCI subjects. Personality changes have been reported to be associated with MCI status and early AD. More specifically, an increase in neuroticism and a decrease in conscientiousness have been reported, suggesting that higher and lower scores, respectively, in neuroticism and conscientiousness are associated with an increased risk of developing the disease. However, personality changes have not been studied concomitantly with pathological structural brain alterations detected on MRI in patients suffering from MCI. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to assess the relationship between MTL atrophy, WML, lacunar strokes, and personality traits in such patients. The severity of WML was strongly associated with lower levels of conscientiousness and higher levels of neuroticism. Conversely, no association was detected between personality traits and the presence of lacunar strokes or MTL atrophy. Altogether, these results strongly suggest that personality changes occurring in a MCI population, at high risk of AD, are associated with WML, which can induce executive dysfunctions, rather than with MTL atrophy

Fédérations sportives nationales et intervention publique : un management public-privé du sport entre synergies et tensions entre acteurs.

International audienc

Fédérations sportives nationales et intervention publique : un management public-privé du sport entre synergies et tensions entre acteurs.

International audienc

The design process of the sports policy of a national sports federation. The case of the French Rugby Federation

L'objectif principal de la thèse est de comprendre comment se construit la politique sportive d'une fédération sportive nationale. Le cas de la Fédération Française de Rugby (FFR) est étudié sous la forme d'une Recherche-Intervention, cette organisation ayant souhaité engager des réflexions autour de sa politique sportive, un objet qu'il a fallu appréhender et conceptualiser dans le cadre d'une fédération nationale. Cet objet est envisagé comme un processus de co-construction, entre des acteurs fédéraux (siège) et territoriaux (structures décentralisées et déconcentrées). Pour étudier ce processus et notamment les logiques d'acteurs, nous avons mobilisé la théorie de la traduction (Akrich et al., 2006), associée au concept de rapport de prescription (Oiry, 2012). La théorie de la traduction évoque la notion d'actants, pour désigner ces acteurs et prendre en considération des éléments de l'organisation dits « non-humains » (actants non-humains), qui ont aussi une influence et un impact sur ce processus. Notre problématique centrale est ainsi formulée comme suit : quelles sont les dynamiques actantielles à l'oeuvre dans la co-construction d'une politique sportive fédérale ? L'idée générale, au travers de notre cadre d'analyse, est d'exprimer comment ces acteurs, par le biais de leurs visions et de leurs perceptions (leurs traductions) et leurs collaborations/confrontations (leurs rapports de prescription), vont coconstruire la politique sportive fédérale en question. Cette thèse ambitionne d'appréhender à la fois l'intégration de cette politique dans l'organisation fédérale, et la formation d'un réseau d'acteurs qui, parallèlement, se configure et se stabilise.The main purpose of this thesis is to understand how a national association sport policy is elaborated. The case of the French Rugby Union (FFR) is studied as part of an intervention-research, as this organisation initiated some reflections around its sport policy, an object that we had both to apprehend and conceptualise. This object is considered as a co-construction process, between national and regional actors. In order to study this, we mobilise the Actor-Network Theory (Akrich et al., 2006), associated with the concept of prescriptive relation (Oiry, 2012). The Actor-Network Theory (also known as the sociology of translation) highlights the presence of both human and non-human actors which can have an impact on this process. In this way, our research question is: what are the actors' dynamics during the co-construction process of the federal sport policy? The general idea, throughout our framework, is to express how the (human) actors, thanks to their representations (their translation) and their collaboration / confrontation (their prescriptive relation) are going to co-construct the federal sport policy. The aim of this thesis is to apprehend both the integration of this sport policy into the federal organisation (the FFR) and the creation of an actor-network, which, simultaneously, is configuring and stabilising itself

Le processus de conception de la politique sportive d'une fédération sportive nationale. Le cas de la Fédération Française de Rugby.

The main purpose of this thesis is to understand how a national association sport policy is elaborated. The case of the French Rugby Union (FFR) is studied as part of an intervention-research, as this organisation initiated some reflections around its sport policy, an object that we had both to apprehend and conceptualise. This object is considered as a co-construction process, between national and regional actors. In order to study this, we mobilise the Actor-Network Theory (Akrich et al., 2006), associated with the concept of prescriptive relation (Oiry, 2012). The Actor-Network Theory (also known as the sociology of translation) highlights the presence of both human and non-human actors which can have an impact on this process. In this way, our research question is: what are the actors’ dynamics during the co-construction process of the federal sport policy? The general idea, throughout our framework, is to express how the (human) actors, thanks to their representations (their translation) and their collaboration / confrontation (their prescriptive relation) are going to co-construct the federal sport policy. The aim of this thesis is to apprehend both the integration of this sport policy into the federal organisation (the FFR) and the creation of an actor-network, which, simultaneously, is configuring and stabilising itself.L’objectif principal de la thèse est de comprendre comment se construit la politique sportive d’une fédération sportive nationale. Le cas de la Fédération Française de Rugby (FFR) est étudié sous la forme d’une Recherche-Intervention, cette organisation ayant souhaité engager des réflexions autour de sa politique sportive, un objet qu’il a fallu appréhender et conceptualiser dans le cadre d’une fédération nationale. Cet objet est envisagé comme un processus de co-construction, entre des acteurs fédéraux (siège) et territoriaux (structures décentralisées et déconcentrées). Pour étudier ce processus et notamment les logiques d’acteurs, nous avons mobilisé la théorie de la traduction (Akrich et al., 2006), associée au concept de rapport de prescription (Oiry, 2012). La théorie de la traduction évoque la notion d’actants, pour désigner ces acteurs et prendre en considération des éléments de l’organisation dits « non-humains » (actants non-humains), qui ont aussi une influence et un impact sur ce processus. Notre problématique centrale est ainsi formulée comme suit : quelles sont les dynamiques actantielles à l’oeuvre dans la co-construction d’une politique sportive fédérale ? L’idée générale, au travers de notre cadre d’analyse, est d’exprimer comment ces acteurs, par le biais de leurs visions et de leurs perceptions (leurs traductions) et leurs collaborations/confrontations (leurs rapports de prescription), vont co-construire la politique sportive fédérale en question. Cette thèse ambitionne d’appréhender à la fois l’intégration de cette politique dans l’organisation fédérale, et la formation d’un réseau d’acteurs qui, parallèlement, se configure et se stabilise

From Sport Policy to National Federation Sport Policy: An Integrative Literature Review and Conceptualisation Attempt

The notion of sport policy is a relatively recent subject of study, but it has been frequently used over the last 20 years, particularly referring to governmental sport policies. However, less research has been conducted in the field of national sport federations (NSFs), which are key non-governmental structures in governing, organising and sustaining the development of sports. The objective of this article is to propose a conceptualisation of the notion of sport policy adapted to NSFs. The proposed approach consists of two steps: first, we conducted an extensive integrative literature review around the notion of sport policy. Second, based on the literature review, we developed a model that conceptualises what an NSF sport policy is. This conceptual model is intended to be a useful analytical tool to design, implement and assess the success of a sport policy for both researchers and practitioners working in the field of NSFs

Le processus de conception de la politique sportive d’une fédération nationale : Proposition d’un cadre d’analyse

First paragraph: Cette contribution repose sur le concept de politique sportive, certes fréquemment mobilisé par la recherche en management du sport (e.g. Bayle, 2007 ; Bergsgrad et al., 2007 ; Bernardeau Moreau, 2004 ; Houlihan, 2000 ; Skille, 2008), mais insuffisamment conceptualisé (Giband & Holz, 2007). La première originalité de notre contribution vient d'un essai de conceptualisation de la politique sportive, dans le cadre d'une fédération sportive nationale. La seconde originalité vient d'une approche en termes de construction sociale, pour appréhender la conception de la politique sportive fédérale