University–Organization Collaboration in Sport for Development: Understanding Practitioners’ Perspectives and Experiences in Research and Evaluation Partnerships

in Journal of Sport Management

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Meredith A. Whitley Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, USA

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https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8982-250X *
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Jon Welty Peachey Gordon College, Wenham, MA, USA

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https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7152-5045
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Julia Leitermann New Heights Youth, Inc., Brooklyn, NY, USA

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NaRi Shin University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

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https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9213-2358
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Adam Cohen University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, NSW, Australia

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https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2149-0654
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1123/jsm.2022-0236
Keywords:
nonprofit sport organizations; community sport organizations; youth sport; development through sport; qualitative research
First Published Online:
04 May 2023
In Print:
Ahead of Print
Page Range:
1–14
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Despite a growing body of scholarship exploring university–organization collaborations in the sport for development (SfD) field, there has been limited consideration of the experiences of practitioners and partnering organizations in these partnerships. The purpose of this study was to examine their experiences when partnering with academic institutions, programs, scholars, and/or students, with a specific focus on research and evaluation partnerships. Interviews were conducted with 22 participants working at 20 SfD organizations in the United States. Findings were organized into six main categories (e.g., motivations, factors that facilitate or impede collaboration, collaboration outcomes). A conceptual process framework for university–organization collaboration emerged from the data. This study is one of the first in the SfD field to examine practitioners’ perspectives of university–organization collaborations centered on research and evaluation activities. The findings help advance the SfD field, identifying the various factors at play as these partnerships are formed, activated, and sustained.

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