Mapping outdoor organizations' governance

Robyn Zink , Sally Shaw , Pip Lynch

Zink Research, University of Otago

2014

Routledge: Annals of Leisure Research: Published online 19 June 2014

Robyn Zink

E-mail: zinkresearch@hotmail.co.nz

This article reports an exploratory study that mapped the governance structures of 12 New Zealand Outdoor Recreation Organizations. The Chair, CEO or equivalent and a new board member from each organization were interviewed, and publically available organizational documents were reviewed. An overview of governance theories was used to frame our study and organize the data; it also provided a language for the analysis of the organizations’ governance practices. It was found that no single governance theory adequately described any of the governance practices of these organizations. Three themes emerged in response to the question about what constitutes good governance. These were steering the organization, monitoring and risk management and fostering good relationships. Respondents were able to identify some of the complexities and contradictions of their governance practices, but they were less able to identify what governance structure would allow their organizations to thrive.

Keywords:

governance theories

For information on how to access the full text of this article, go to http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/11745398.2014.925405#tabModule or contact your local or organisational library for assistance

Qualitative

National

Journal

Published

Outdoor Recreation

Outdoors

Non-organised, Organised

Capability, Delivery, Governance, Management, Planning, Policy, Volunteers, Workforce

1933

October 7, 2014