International Journal of Sport Management

Development Office Organizational Structure Components Affecting Football Bowl Subdivision Athletic Contributions: A Resource-Based View

Liz Wanless, J. Michael Martinez, James E. Johnson, Logan Desmond

Abstract: Framed within the context of resource-based view theory (RBV; Barney, 1995), the purposes of this study were to uncover the components of intercollegiate athletic development office organizational structure that affect National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) athletic contributions; and from the results, apply RBV indicators to identify potential sources of sustained competitive advantage. The importance of fundraising to FBS athletics (Fulks, 2016) and the importance of organizational structure to the success of non-profit organizations warrant further understanding of factors associated with organizational structure and intercollegiate athletic fundraising effectiveness. Researchers utilized a three-part, fixed-question online survey to assess the perceptions of 36 FBS athletic development directors representing nine FBS conferences. Two primary themes emerged: human resource allocation and university affiliations. Six corresponding sub-themes also emerged. From the results, researchers reconsidered the status of organizational structure within RBV and developed insights into maximizing organizational structure efficacy.

Citation: Wanless, L., Martinez, J. M., Johnson, J. E., & Desmond, L. (2018). Development office organizational structure components affecting football bowl subdivision athletic contributions: A resource-based view. International Journal of Sport Management, 19(4), 412-436.

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