Examining internal and external stakeholders' experiences with radical change in sport organizations

Research purpose This study compared how internal and external stakeholders experience radical organizational change in sport organizations. Research methods A case study of U SPORTS was built through 32 internal and external stakeholder interviews and organizational documents (e.g. strategic plans, annual reports), and analyzed thematically. Results Findings showed how internal and external stakeholders experienced radical change both positively and negatively but in different ways. For internal stakeholders, themes included planning and preparation, stakeholder involvement, an increased workload, the loss of institutional knowledge, and challenges associated with gaining buy-in and support for the changes. For external stakeholders, themes included communication and consultation, decision-making, stakeholder responsibility and involvement, and the number and pace of change. Implications Findings highlight the importance of knowing and responding to stakeholder concerns, and the criticality of various internal stakeholders (i.e. staff, Board, and committee members) for maintaining institutional knowledge during radical change.