@phdthesis{01K9DJXA8FTT0671V3X988WD58,
  abstract     = {{Organized sport participation provides numerous social and health benefits. Recognizing this, the Council of Europe launched the Sport-for-All Charter in 1975 to promote accessible sport participation for all citizens. The term all was deliberately broad, emphasizing that access should not be limited by age, gender, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, or disability. The Charter placed a responsibility on sport organizations to lower barriers and actively foster inclusive sport participation. In Flanders, sport federations and affiliated clubs have historically been pivotal actors in implementing the Sport-for-All idea. However, despite significant investments in sport infrastructure, numerous Sport-for-All policy campaigns, and a positive evolution of their Sport-for-All policies, sport federations still face three persistent challenges in achieving their Sport-for-All objectives, specifically: balancing the tensions between delivering competitive sport and promoting Sport-for-All, responding to the growing popularity of non-club organized sport, and tackling the difficulties federations experience in reaching and integrating disadvantaged communities.
This dissertation investigates how Flemish sport federations address these Sport-for-All challenges, using institutional theory as a guiding framework. By applying concepts such as institutional logics, isomorphism, legitimacy, and institutional change, this research explores why federations struggle to reach their Sport-for-All objectives and how they could foster a more inclusive sport environment. All three Sport-for-All challenges were examined using both quantitative and qualitative methods across four empirical studies.
A first study addresses the first challenge, exploring the tensions between delivering competitive sport and providing Sport-for-All. Using a multi method approach informed
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by institutional theory, this study examines how competing institutional logics shape the policies and Sport-for-All projects of Flemish sport federations.
A second study investigates how federations respond to two other major challenges, specifically: the growing popularity of non-club organized sport and the difficulties federations experience to reach disadvantaged communities. Based on a quantitative model-based analysis, the study identifies different patterns of organizational adaptation to these challenges and highlights the complexity of this process.
A third study delves deeper into the second challenge by conducting a qualitative case study of the incorporation of parkour, a typically non-club organized sport, into the Flemish Gymnastics Federation. This study focuses on the organizational dynamics, leadership roles, and the tensions involved when federations seek to incorporate non-organized sport communities.
A fourth study examines the third challenge by focusing on how sport organizations can act as drivers of social change. Using an institutional entrepreneurship lens, the study analyzes why and how an amateur soccer club in a disadvantaged urban area reoriented its logic towards social inclusion, while balancing competitive ambitions with broader community engagement.
The findings of this dissertation reveal that, while Flemish sport federations operate within an institutional context predominantly oriented towards a competitive logic, a Sport-for-All logic is nevertheless embedded within their organizations. However, the practical implementation of their Sport-for-All logic may be complicated due to the dominance of the competitive logic. This means that the current Sport-for-All logic did not evolve with the contemporary Sport-for-All context, which means that most Sport-for-All initiatives of federations address the more traditional target groups.
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Nevertheless, our studies show that some sport federations are beginning to respond to these challenges. Furthermore, this dissertation provides theoretical and practical insights into how federations can address these challenges, reinstitutionalize their current Sport-for-All logic, and thus maintain their relevance within an evolving Sport-for-All landscape.
This dissertation contributes to sport management literature by enriching our understanding of the interplay between institutional logics and their impact on the Sport-for-All policies. It also offers practical insights for policymakers and sport managers seeking to promote broader and more equitable access to sport in an evolving and diverse society.}},
  author       = {{De Bock, Thomas}},
  keywords     = {{Sport federations,Sport-for-All,Institutional Theory}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{XVIII, 344}},
  publisher    = {{Ghent University. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences}},
  school       = {{Ghent University}},
  title        = {{Sport-for-All challenges of Flemish sport federations : an institutional theory perspective}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}