Corresponding Chair:
Hiroko Kudo, hirokokd@tamacc.chuo-u.ac.jp
Description:
Public sector agencies have always had a direct or indirect involvement in the provision of sport. However, the public sector has never had responsibility for developing professional sport. Public bodies definitively ought to be proactive in sustaining local communities by encouraging engagement in various sports, physical activities and social interactions. Public bodies are directly involved in promoting active recreation through sport, thus contributing to the improvement of citizen’s health (including those with disabilities); creating safer and stronger communities; improving youngsters’ education, etc. Sport can be seen, indeed, as a booster for health, social inclusion, social connectedness and community well-being. Indirect involvement sees public bodies engaged in assuring proper implementation of both professional and amateur sport events, dealing with several responsibilities, including safety, security for traffic management, and collaboration on the construction of institutional facilities for events.
Sport policy delivered by the public sector would include several aspects related to public management, from promoting social integration to developing national identity. According to the European Commission (2006), sport is the largest voluntary non- governmental organisational activity throughout Europe with more volunteers than any other activity, and this facilitates the development of co-production schemes in the twin aims of sport policy, i.e., encouraging grassroots participation and achieving elite success.
In relation to the core topics of IRSPM 2020, we should consider that internet of things (IoT) developed smart objects, which are changing both public sector and sport, but paradoxically contrasting with the aspects of health, inclusion, connectedness and community well-being.
The panel seeks both theoretical and empirical contributions that tackle the issue of the public management of sport. Recommended topics include, but are not limited to, the followings:
- Social and/or economic outcomes of public sector involvement in sport.
- How sport can be linked to other policy fields to create more sustainable communities and community well-being?
- Sport and the resolution of social and community issues and equality and inclusion through sport.
- How sport-events involve key stakeholders?
- How public sector provides/supports sport in time of IoT?
- The use of smart technologies to support health promotion through sport activities.
- All aspects of the governance of sport.
Explanation of its contribution to the field of public management
Sport policy includes several aspects related to public management, from promoting social integration to developing national identity. According to the European Commission, sport is the largest non-governmental organisational activity throughout Europe with more volunteers than any other activity, thus facilitates the development of co-production schemes in the twin aims of sport policy, i.e., encouraging grassroots participation and achieving elite success.