Diversity and inclusion in sport organizations. A subversive functionalist approach

Abstract

The concepts of diversity and inclusion (D&I) as managerial values have become an integral part of most institutional policies, and sport organizations are no exception. Yet, notwithstanding their common usage in public and organizational discourse, there is no consensus on what D&I actually mean, nor about what their main dimensions are and how to manage them. The aim of my thesis is thus to better understand why sport organizations engage in D&I initiatives, how this commitment is translated into practice, what challenges they encounter, and what organizational practices may facilitate moving forward. In doing this, I propose a subversive functionalist approach informed by mainstream and critical management studies in order to produce theoretical and practical insights towards progressive change. In particular, I explore the potential of this construct in a case study of New Zealand Rugby and its public commitment towards greater D&I. Data were collected from 18 one-on-one interviews with executives and managers, analysis of relevant documents, and fieldnotes. Findings reveal that the way in which D&I efforts are rationalized is highly context specific and varies across, and within, organizations. The study also illustrates that creating and sustaining change, particularly related to D&I, is a complex, dynamic, and often “messy” undertaking. Nevertheless, findings suggest that mainstream organizational change models can effectively assist, in tandem with critical management studies, in advancing social change. Thus, this research encourages more sport management scholars to consider conducting their work from a subversive functionalist perspective, as it can provide a way forward to how the field seeks to transform sport management as it is practised, studied, and taught.