Olympic Education leaps forward

19

The ASMC emerged against a backdrop of a need to improve OSO performance; a general need to have OSOs more efficient and effective in the world of sport. Other major considerations include:

  • The growth of professionalism in sport and its implications for OSOs
  • Emphasis on performance on the field of play by all athletes
  • Emphasis on outcomes – the desire by governments and other agencies including the international federations and the IOC to ensure that they receive value for the money invested in sport; a desire for ‘Bang for bucks’
  • Awareness of proper governance structures within OSOs
  • Development of strategic management as an important integral feature in the world of sport
  • The emergence of a greatly enhanced relationship between the state and sport
  • A growing tendency for agencies to monitor Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of OSOs
  • The insistence of OSOs for their independence in the face of this relationship with the state
  • The shift towards athlete-focussed sports

The ASMC therefore is an Olympic Solidarity investment in the broader global sport development process by ensuring improvements in the various NOCs affiliated to the IOC.
For the conduct of the ASMC Olympic Solidarity has commissioned yet another important education tool – the Managing Olympic Sport Organisations (MOSO) book. This document consists of six chapters that each covers an area of management competence. The book provides the primary content for the learning experience and is the framework for delivery of the Advanced Sport Management Courses. Each chapter is divided into five sections, each of which covers a topic that contributes to the overall competence. In order to demonstrate how the key principles are applied in the field, the material is illustrated by information provided by Olympic Sport Organisations throughout the world. In total, 30 illustrations and 6 case studies are presented, providing a rich and extensive database of applied material.
The book is not in and of itself the most comprehensive training tool but it must be seen as an important guide to the development of good sports managers of OSOs. It must be seen as a reference document