Author Identifier

Alexander Best: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2097-2547

Date of Award

2026

Keywords

Innovation, not-for-profit sport, community sport, technology adoption

Document Type

Thesis

Publisher

Edith Cowan University

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Integrated)

School

School of Business and Law

First Supervisor

Ashlee Morgan

Second Supervisor

Ruth Sibson

Abstract

This thesis investigates how the not-for-profit (NFP) sport sector in Western Australia (WA) adopts and uses technology. The NFP sector principally delivers community sport through local clubs, with the collaboration, supervision, and guidance of both state sporting associations (SSAs) and national sporting organisations (NSOs). Modern sport contributes significant benefits to society in the form of entertainment, economic value, improvements to health, and social welfare. However, the ability to realise this value depends on effective governance and good operational management within the sport organisations themselves. Unfortunately, these groups are often resource-constrained, heavily reliant on volunteers, and influenced by complex stakeholder demands.

Since the 1970s, sport has undergone a significant shift from amateurism to professionalisation. This is particularly true of elite sport sector. Moreover, the sector has embraced technology during this shift, finding uses for new innovations across broadcasting, marketing, athletic performance, and other business operations. However, few scholars have investigated the use of technology in sport’s NFP sector, and the legacy of amateur practices continues to raise concerns about inefficiency and capacity constraints. Calls for the NFP sport sector to professionalise have been met with questions regarding operational readiness, capacity, and sector-specific challenges.

Are NFP sport organisations willing to or able to enhance their operations through greater professionalisation, specifically via the adoption or use of technology? What facilitators and inhibitors influence the process of technology adoption? And can technology help make operations and the delivery of sport more effective within the NFP sector? This exploratory study responds to these questions by investigating whether, how, and to what effect technology is adopted and used within SSAs and local sport clubs. Using a qualitative case study design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with key decision makers (n = 31) across four SSAs and 12 affiliated clubs in WA. Rogers’ (2003) diffusion of innovations theory provided a theoretical lens to explore conditions shaping technology-related decisions in the NFP sport context.

The findings reveal widespread technology adoption and use in NFP sport, which is significantly contributing to professionalising organisational practices. Specifically, technology-related decisions and operational practices within both SSAs and clubs are driven by core service delivery and governance demands. However, technology adoption and use is influenced by organisational culture and attitudes, inter-sport and intra-sport relationships, resource availability and constraints, and the unique and complex demands faced by SSAs and clubs within the sector.

This investigation extends Rogers’ (2003) theory to the NFP sport context, offering a theoretical contribution by identifying unique influences on technology adoption in this setting. This study outlines the key facilitators and inhibitors shaping how technology is taken up and then used in NFP sport. This research offers theoretical and practical insights to inform future research, organisational practice, and governance in the sport sector. The implications of these findings extend beyond sport management, contributing to the broader understandings of technology adoption and the diffusion of innovations theory within organisational settings.

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Access to this thesis is embargoed until 30th June 2027 

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Link to publisher version (DOI)

10.25958/q0np-g344