Social innovation in non-profit sport organizations in developing countries: focus on non-profit sport organizations in Barbados

Abstract

Non-profit sport organizations over the years have found innovative ways to provide positive social impacts to communities. Little is known however about the barriers to social innovation in non-profit sport organizations in a developing country context. The purpose of this research is to explore the barriers to social innovation in non-profit sport organization in developing countries. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 Barbadian Sport Federations to answer the research question utilizing an Open Innovation framework. Key themes of Innovation Helplessness, Survival Innovation, and COVID-19 Implications emerged from the data. This research contributes to knowledge as it highlights how the COVID-19 pandemic affected sport organizations, and identified how social innovation is influenced by external (e.g. political influence, public opinion) and internal factors (e.g. resources, capacity) within a developing country context. Recommendations are also made to address these barriers and impart knowledge pertaining to sport for development in developing countries.