Examining the Impact of Unified Management on Board Roles in Federated Governance Systems: A Study of Golf in Australia

The exploration of ways to address the complexity of relationships, power dynamics and multiple perspectives within federated governance systems in sport has been an ongoing theme within sport governance scholarly and practice communities for several decades. A major area of concern for affiliated organisations where reforms have occurred has been the changing behaviours, roles and power dynamics of regional and national boards when new practices and structures are adopted within the federated system. Using collaborative sport governance concepts infused by systems thinking, this paper explores the impact that the adoption of a unified management approach can have on perceptions of board roles in the sport of golf. In an exploratory qualitative case study, participants from affiliated golf organisations (regional and national boards) are interviewed (n = 21) to gain their insights into this phenomenon. Findings show perceptions of significant role ambiguity amongst board members, a perceived diminishing role for state boards, a sense of increased accountability for national boards and perceived negative impacts on board member succession. In making sense of our findings, we highlight the complexity involved, how board role changes in one context can impact other parts of the system and how collaborative governance theory and systems thinking remain an important lens for understanding and guiding effective governance practice within federated governance systems in sport.