MMS703 – Sport Governance Assignment

Description

Purpose

This task provides you with the opportunity to deepen your knowledge of a prominent governance issue facing sport and other sectors (ULO1, ULO2). The debate between federated and unitary governance structures is highly topical. Governing bodies across sport are increasingly considering whether their sport will be better served by a change in structure. Following completion of this assessment, you will be able to advise on the merits and drawbacks of doing so.

By completing this task, you will develop your skills in researching, understanding, applying, evaluating, and presenting information required of sport business professionals (GLO1, GLO4).

Scenario

For this task, assume you are writing a thought leadership essay with the audience intended to be sport governing bodies, government regulators, sport business professionals and academics.

Specific Requirements

Your task is to produce a 2000-word essay that compares and contrasts the federated and unitary models of sport governance. It is expected that you will cover the following in your essay:

• The definitions of the federated and unitary structures of sport governance
• An analysis of the strength and weaknesses of both structures
• Examples from practice (e.g., of sport governing bodies, such as AusCyclying or Football Australia, using the structures to good or bad effect).
• A commentary on what structure is most appropriate for Australian sport governing bodies in the contemporary environment

To receive a high grade in this assignment it is necessary to demonstrate your grasp on the content covered in this unit - this means offering a robust critical analysis, using illustrative examples and drawing on a range of research articles.

Assessment Structure

You should use the standard structure of an essay, which includes having an introduction, main body (i.e., a series of paragraphs) and conclusion. The introduction and conclusion sections should be approximately 200 words each. Each paragraph in the main body should be approximately 150 words.

You can use sub-headings, but do not produce a table of contents. Table of contents is only for longer reports, this is a shorter essay. You should not produce a cover page. You should only have an essay title at top of the page (e.g., ‘Comparing and Contrasting Federated and Unitary Governance Structures in Sport’).

Please note that there will be a strong emphasis on referencing in the marking of your essay. The explanations and arguments you put forward must be supported by academic literature. Your essay needs to include a reference list (not a bibliography) using the APA or Harvard referencing system. Whichever referencing system you use, use it consistently.

Learning Outcomes

This task allows you to demonstrate your achievement towards the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) which have been aligned to the Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs). Deakin GLOs describe the knowledge and capabilities graduates acquire and can demonstrate on completion of their course. This assessment task is an important tool in determining your achievement of the ULOs. If you do not demonstrate achievement of the ULOs you will not be successful in this unit. You are advised to familiarise yourself with these ULOs and GLOs as they will inform you on what you are expected to demonstrate for successful completion of this unit.

The learning outcomes that are aligned to this assessment task are:

Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs)

ULO1Describe the evolution of governance and leadership approaches within the sport industry and their impact.

Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs)

GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities

ULO2 Critically reflect on the governance practices and models in contemporary sport organisations and systems.

Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs)

GLO2: Critical thinking

Submission

You must submit your assignment in the Assignment Dropbox in the unit CloudDeakin site on or before the due date. When uploading your assignment, name your document using the following syntax:

Submitting a hard copy of this assignment is not required. You must keep a backup copy of every assignment you submit until the marked assignment has been returned to you. In the unlikely event that one of your assignments is misplaced you will need to submit your backup copy.

Any work you submit may be checked by electronic or other means for the purposes of detecting collusion and/or plagiarism and for authenticating work.When you submit an assignment through your CloudDeakin unit site, you will receive an email to your Deakin email address confirming that it has been submitted. You should check that you can see your assignment in the Submissions view of the Assignment Dropbox folder after upload and check for, and keep, the email receipt for the submission.