Thesis-2008-Collins.pdf (10.91 MB)
An analysis of public policy toward adult life-long participation in sport in Australia, Finland and New Zealand
thesis
posted on 2013-08-01, 13:08 authored by Shane CollinsThis thesis explores the development of public policy aimed at achieving adult
life-long participation in sport in Australia, Finland and New Zealand. Adult
life-long participation has frequently been claimed as an aspiration of sport
policy in Australia, Finland and New Zealand. This study identifies the
characteristics of the sport systems and sport policy process in each of the
three countries and outlines the development of policy concerning
participation in sport amongst adults.
A case study approach was adopted focusing on each of the three countries
in turn. Adopting a qualitative methodology the study utilised document
analysis and semi-structured interviews to elicit data regarding the
development of, and factors impacting upon, the development of sport for all.
Focusing upon the meso-level of analysis, policy networks was found to be a
useful lens through which to view Finland, drawing attention to a policy subsystem
where there has been a consistent focus on sport for all over the last
40 years. The advocacy coalition framework (ACF) provided the greatest
utility for providing insights into Australia and New Zealand. The ACF drew
attention to competing coalitions within the New Zealand and Australian sport
sub-systems highlighting the tensions that had surfaced between elite and
mass sport development.
Despite little evidence in Australia, Finland or New Zealand of a policy or
strategy that could be 'pulled off the shelf and called adult life long
participation the findings indicated that Finland has been able to achieve high
levels of adult participation in sport. Over the last 40 years successive Finnish
governments have been consistent in their approach with regard to the role of
national and local government in promoting Sf A. In contrast the Australian
federal government has consistently expressed a desire to increase levels of
sport participation amongst all Australians, however, despite consistent
exhortations policy implementation has failed to reflect the rhetoric. Recent
changes to the New Zealand sport policy landscape have made identifying a
clear sport development pathway difficult, however, grassroots sport appears
to have remained outside the current public policy focus. This study concludes
that despite the existence of broadly similar factors such as rising levels of
obesity, declining levels of physical activity and continued aspirations for
sporting success, quite different sport policy approaches have been adopted
in each of the three countries. This draws attention to the role of domestic
factors, such as the distinctive socio-economic political and cultural systems
in shaping the direction of, and salience of, sport policy to government.
History
School
- Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences
Publisher
© Shane CollinsPublication date
2008Notes
A Doctoral Thesis. Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of Doctor of Philosophy of Loughborough University.EThOS Persistent ID
uk.bl.ethos.519651Language
- en