Sport for Development and Olympic Movement Stakeholders : A Social Network Analysis

The Sport for Development (SfD) sector has a long history of engaging organisations, global policy-makers, and programmes that use sport to achieve non-sport objectives across the world. Academics and practitioners have been advocating for partnership development within regional and global SfD networks for several years. This research project represented the first known social network analysis of SfD stakeholders within and between the key continents of Europe and Africa. Using a sequential mixed-method research design, the project consisted of the following two phases. In Phase 1, a social network analysis was conducted via an online survey that identified the most prominent SfD organisations, the structure and relational properties of the SfD network(s), and the strength of relationships between actors. Social network analysis was performed on the combined overall network, as well as the networks of SfD organisations based only in Europe and only in Africa. Phase 2 consisted of interviewing 28 representatives from the most prominent SfD organisations identified in the first phase across both regions (14 in Europe and 14 in Africa). The results of the study provide insight for building stronger partnerships and a more efficient network of SfD and Olympic Movement (OM) stakeholders.