Exploring the conditions for strategic planning in nonprofit community sport

Leaders of community sport organizations (CSOs) may use strategic planning to navigate complex pressures, allocate resources and establish a plan of action to meet their mandate. This study draws on institutional theory and a framework of receptive contexts for strategic change to examine the conditions (contextual factors and managerial actions) that influence strategic planning in CSOs. A multiple-case study of six CSOs provided rich detail about how CSOs’ environments shape their decision-making processes and influence strategy. Findings revealed that environmental pressures, including a club’s community profile, inter-club competition and the expectations of governing bodies, influenced strategic planning in CSOs. Other critical conditions included a supportive organizational culture and organizational capacity. Findings also highlighted the isomorphic pressures that CSO leaders respond to and resist through strategic planning. While findings of the current study are consistent with the broad features of receptive contexts related to environmental pressure, supportive organization culture and key people leading change, the subthemes in the current study provide new insight into, and justification for, contextualized approaches to strategic planning. The research provides important insight for CSO leaders to consider when using strategic planning to increase membership, address contemporary challenges and achieve long-term goals.Strategic plans articulate organizational goals, issues and relevant action steps.Contextual factors and managerial actions influence strategic planning in community sport organizations (CSOs).One condition that influenced strategic planning was environmental pressure (i.e., a club’s community profile, inter-club competition, expectations of governing bodies).Strategic planning is also influenced by a supportive organizational culture and organizational capacity.Understanding the conditions that support strategic planning can help CSOs to achieve membership growth and navigate complex pressures.