The aim of this thesis is to examine the extent to which selected aspects of sport policy in Japan and also UK/England are influenced by international forces. The objectives which underpin the research aim are to analyse the characteristics of the domestic policy areas and identify the varying degree of impact of external influences on domestic sport policy. The thesis examines the interactions between domestic and international factors that shape elite sport policy and anti-doping policy and seeks to identify how domestic institutional values and ideas have been shaped by global influences. Importantly, by analysing the nature and mechanisms of global influence that are manifest at the domestic level, it is intended to identify varying degree of impact external to national policy. To achieve the above objectives, a qualitative methodology and related documentary research methods are adopted in the empirical investigations. Policy document analysis and semi-structured interviews are employed. The cases of UK (or England where appropriate) are introduced in order to generate a deeper understanding of the development of Japanese elite sport and anti-doping policy. The thesis draws on a range of theoretical frameworks, including international relations theory, international regime theory and globalisation, to analyse the empirical data. By adopting these theoretical frameworks, it is aimed to identify the possible characteristics of international policy regimes in the policy areas of elite sport and anti-doping.

Balettutbildning har varit auktoritär och elitistisk i århundraden. Med utgångspunkt i Agrippina Vaganova och hennes metodiska systematisering av balettundervisning diskuteras frågor om elit, lärande och tradition inom balettundervisning. Vaganova var en länk mellan tsartidens Ryssland och det nya Sovjet och bidrog aktivt till att balett som konstform, trots sin aristokratiska bakgrund, fördes vidare och blev en viktig kulturpolitiskt aktivitet i Sovjet. Med underlag i texter av Bourdieu och Said diskuteras elit, kulturellt kapital och elitutbildning för att förklara några av de politiska och samhällsmässiga mekanismer som bidragit till balettens unika position i Sovjet. För att placera Vaganova som pedagog i förhållande till balettundervisning och balett genom tiden, presenteras korta informativa kapitel om baletthistoria, och utveckling och spridning av Vaganovas metod, både i Sovjet/Ryssland och i andra länder.

Bakgrund: Elitfotbollsklubbar befinner sig i en speciell situation. Man verkar i en bransch där det råder svårigheter att generera tillräckligt med intäkter samtidigt som kostnader drivs upp med tanke på att man vill nå sportslig framgång. Det blir därför väldigt viktigt hur man hanterar sin ekonomi och styr den i rätt riktning.   Syfte: Syftet med denna uppsats är att beskriva och förklara vilken roll ekonomistyrningen har i svenska elitfotbollsklubbar. Vidare är syftet även att identifiera situationsfaktorer inom elitfotbollen och analysera hur dessa påverkar elitfotbollklubbars ekonomistyrning. Detta för att utveckla kunskaper om hur elitfotbollklubbars situation påverkar ekonomistyrningen och dess roll.   Metod: Uppsatsen är en kvalitativ intervjustudie. Den empiriska undersökningen har skett genom semi-strukturerade intervjuer. Intervjuerna har gjorts med antingen klubbchef, ekonomichef eller sportchef i sju olika klubbar.   Resultat och slutsatser: Elitfotbollsklubbar befinner sig i en osäker miljö där en väl implementerad ekonomistyrning är i det närmaste nödvändigt. Budgeten är det viktigaste styrmedlet för klubbarna men det används även en rad andra styrmedel som belöningssystem, prestationsmätning, kalkylering och benchmark. Situationsfaktorer som omgivning, kultur och storlek har bidragit till att klubbarna idag har en stor ekonomisk medvetenhet där ekonomiska resultat ska leda till det sportsliga. Vi har med denna studie kommit fram till att ekonomistyrningen har en avgörande roll för klubbarnas långsiktiga målsättningar. / Background: Elite football clubs exist in a special situation. They operates in a industry where its difficult to generate enough revenue, meantime costs are driven up due to their need of generate sucess in the sport. It therefore becomes very important how to manage their finances and steering it in the right direction.   Purpose: The purpose of this essay is to describe and explain the financials role in a number of Swedish elite football clubs.   Method: Our essay is a qualitative study where we mixed convenience- and quota sampling. The empirical gathering was conducted through interviews using a semi-structured approach. Interviews have been made with either a Club Manager, CFO or sports director in seven diffrent clubs.   Conclusions: Elite football club sexists in an uncertain enciroment in which a well-implementated managament control system is necessary. The budget is the most important instrument for the clubs, but there are also a number of other instruments such as compensations, performance measurement, calculation and benchmark. Situational factors such as enviroment, culure and size has contributed wich has led to that the clubs have a great economic awareness today where economic results will lead to the sport result. We have with this study concluded that financial management has played a critical role in the club´s long-term objectives.

This thesis seeks to explore and understand the appointment process of first-time FTSE 100 NEDs. It has been widely acknowledged for over three decades that the appointment process of NEDs is an opaque process involving a homogeneous group of people in an ‘old boys’ network. Corporate governance reforms recommend a formal and transparent appointment process which taps into a wider pool of talent. Companies comply with these recommendations yet there has been scant change in the composition of corporate boards. The pilot study consisted of nine interviews with the main stakeholders in the appointment process of a NED, namely Chairman, Executive Search Firms and NEDs. Analysis of the interview transcripts revealed that reputational capital was the basis on which a first-time NED appointment was made after the Chairman had carried out an extensive vetting process to establish the fit of the individual. The main study, based on 15 first-time FTSE 100 NED interviews, sought to understand reputational capital, its constituent parts and how individuals developed it. Further, it sought to explore how an individual’s fit for a NED was established. The analysis revealed that the reputational capital of an appointed NED was a blend of sufficient levels of human, social and cultural capital which had been communicated to the Chairman and other members of the corporate elite. A first-time NED, in gaining a foothold on a corporate board was also entitled to membership of the corporate elite. As reputational capital drives success of directors in the corporate elite, new individuals needed to fit with the norms and values appropriate for membership and carry no reputational risk for existing members particularly the Chairman. This research offers three main contributions to the literature. Firstly, at a theoretical level it extends the concept of board capital to include cultural capital in addition to human and social capital. Secondly, it proposes a conceptual framework which demonstrates how an individual builds reputational capital over the course of a career to secure fit for a first- time NED, as a position in the corporate elite. The framework clarifies our understanding of reputational capital as a combination of human, social and cultural capital in a unique blend of board capital. This board capital is communicated through reputation building activities to members of the corporate elite. Thirdly, at an empirical level it provides an understanding of the FTSE 100 NED appointment process.

The routine consumption patterns of ordinary consumers in the first half of the nineteenth century, particularly those in the provinces, have been neglected. This thesis sheds light on this area by investigating one particular commodity, clothing. To undertake this, a range of archival sources, visual evidence and surviving dress relating to the counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire have been examined. The data has enabled an analysis of the consumption of clothing in different locations within the two counties, including county towns, industrial regions and villages, to be carried out. The results have highlighted the many different methods of clothing supply available to the non-elite consumer, which included shop retailing, itinerant selling, illicit networks and clothing distributed via the Poor Law and charity. The thesis demonstrates firstly that the non-elite consumer could obtain clothing from a variety of outlets, using different acquisition methods. Secondly, it shows that this clothing varied in both style and the way it was manufactured, often depending on the supply network utilised. The thesis questions assumptions about the availability of ready-made clothing, the nature of retailing clothing in rural areas, the decline of hawking and peddling, the non-elite use of clothing shops and non-elite consumers’ relationship with fashion. It emphasizes that non-elite consumers had a complex relationship with their clothing, influenced in part by personal preference, gender, economic circumstances and stage in the life-cycle. This thesis shows the multifarious ways non-elite, provincial consumers acquired and wore their clothing.

A study of Elite Salespeople (ES), those salespeople who maintain and sustain consistent high performance in the sales task was completed to discover and understand elite salesperson behavior. Analysis of participants' responses to structured depth interview questions led to the emergence of a construct called a Selling Orientation (SO). SO is made up of behaviors that guide salespeople to build, maintain, and monitor their personal credibility both with customers and industry members, as well as within the company. A number of field pre-tests were performed to derive a measurement scale for SO. This process was followed by a field survey that measured SO in a sales force. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to assess the validity of the measurement scale and results support internal consistency and construct validity of a short 9 item scale for SO. This study advances the understanding of sales performance related theory by illuminating attributes of ES's. Additionally, this study introduces the concept of a Selling Orientation that is associated with high sales performance and key account management. Finally, the study introduces a measurement scale useful in the study of salespeople's selling orientation.

Darbe analizuojamas buvusios LTSR ir dabartinės Lietuvos politinis elitas, jo kaita ir transformacija atkūrus šalies nepriklausomybę. Pagrindinis darbo tikslas – išsiaiškinti Lietuvos politinio elito kaitą keliais aspektais: kaip kito „senasis“ politinis elitas – kokią dalį dabartinio politinio elito sudaro buvę TSKP, LKP, LTSR AT ir kiti aukštus partinius ir valstybinius postus užėmę asmenys. Antra, kaip keičiasi „naujasis“ politinis elitas – kokią dalį parlamento ir Vyriausybės narių sudaro pirmą kartą išrinkti parlamentarai ir ministrai, kiek jų Seimo ar Vyriausybės darbe dalyvauja nebe pirmą kartą. Tikslui pasiekti iškeliami septyni uždaviniai. Pirmiausiai kokios priežastys įtakojo pokomunistinės transformacijos procesus Vidurio ir Rytų Europoje, kaip prie to prisidėjo tuometinės M. Gorbačiovo ekonominės ir politinės reformos, kokį vaidmenį šiame procese suvaidino Lietuvos Persitvarkymo Sąjūdis, kaip transformacijos procesus ir politinio elito kaitą įtakoja politinės partijos, Lietuvos politinio elito bruožai ir kaita. Pastarajam uždaviniui įgyvendinti buvo atlikta Seimo ir Vyriausybių sudėties analizė. Tyrimui atlikti naudojami aprašomasis, analitinis, lyginamasis ir statistinis metodai. Gauti rezultatai parodė, jog pagrindinė ir svarbiausia Vidurio ir Rytų Europos valstybių išsivadavimo iš SSRS priežastis buvo M. Gorbačiovo pradėtos ekonominės ir politinės reformos, kurios paskatino Sovietų Sąjungos dezintegraciją. M. Gorbačiovo „Pertvarka“ leido Lietuvoje nuo 1988... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / This work is about Lithuania’s political elite, its change and transformation after the restoration of independence. The main purpose of this work is to describe the change of Lithuania’s political elite, answering two questions. First of all, finding out the alternation of the “old” elites – how many of today’s political elite were members of Communist party of the USSR and LSSR, how many of them were members of The Supreme Soviet of the Lithuanian SSR. Second, finding out the alternation of the “new” elites – recirculation and change of parliament and government members of Lithuania. To achieve these purposes there were formulated some goals. First of all, what were the reasons that influenced Post-Communist Transformation processes in Middle and Eastern Europe, what was the role of M. Gorbachev’s political and economical reforms in Post-Communist Transformation process and what was the impact of Sąjūdis the Reform Movement of Lithuania in the transformation processes. Secondly, how Lithuanian political parties influence democratization processes and elite change, what is the level of education of Lithuania’s political elite and finally, what is recirculation and change of parliament and government members’ of Lithuania. To achieve these goals there were made a research analyzing the configuration and composition of parliament and government of Lithuania. Research was made using descriptive, analytical, comparative and mathematical methods. The conclusion is that one of... [to full text]

Elite freestyle snowboarders often expose themselves to large risks while performing their sport. A natural response to risk is fear, and it is the aim of this study to explore how elite freestyle snowboarders experience and cope with emotions of fear in conjunction with performing their sport. When examining these mechanisms, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) will be used as the theoretical framework. The aim is to try to determine if the riders accept or avoid situations, thoughts and emotions of fear. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with seven elite freestyle snowboarders (six men and one woman). The content of the interviews where processed with theory driven thematic analysis and inductive thematic analysis. The analysis revealed eight themes related to the athletes’ experience of fear: (1) Sources of fear, (2) Fear inducing events and situations, (3) Physiological responses, (4) Cognitive changes, (5) Action tendencies, (6) Fear appraisal, (7) Fear and risk and (8) Fear as a problem. In the analysis of the participants’ coping strategies for fear two themes emerged: Coping strategies not related to ACT and ACT-related coping strategies. It can be concluded from this study that elite freestyle snowboarders at times experience fear when exposed to high risk of injury, and can interpret this experience both as a negative and positive for well-being and performance. Participants use a range of coping strategies for fear; some which are in line with traditional sport psychology with an avoidance approach. Despite no previous ACT training, some participants have developed an accepting approach to relate to fear. The complexity of ACT as a theoretical framework is also demonstrated in this study due to the difficulties in categorizing the distinction between processes and orientations of strategies.

The requirements placed on Olympic and professional athletes in contemporary world sport are such that they need to dedicate themselves more and more to achieving excellence. This immediately implies that most athletes' time is dedicated to developing their sporting career, with very little time left to develop other aspects of their lives outside their sport. The reality facing many elite athletes is that few are sufficiently financially rewarded to allow them to make a living out of their sport, and even fewer can rely on measures in place in their own country to assist with the financial and psychological impacts of their retirement from sport (Stambulova, Stephan, & Japhag, . 2007). This places even more importance on the need for the athlete to either have a 'dual career' or else to prepare for a post-athletic career while still participating in elite sport. However, though policy makers have begun to demonstrate an awareness of these needs, and programmes have been developed to assist in the educational and vocational development of athletes, little effort has been made to identify how athletes perceive the choices which face them and how they negotiate a way through the challenges of developing and maintaining a dual career. To redress this, a life story approach has been adopted during this research study to try to elicit student-athletes' own life experiences and to identify and evaluate the decision-making processes they go through, in order to combine an academic and elite sporting career successfully. The athletes selected for the development of life-stories are drawn from three countries, Finland, France and the UK which reflect different approaches to state intervention in sport/education (Amara, Aquilina, Henry, & Taylor, 2004). Crucial to an evaluation of these national systems is an understanding of what these policy systems are seeking to achieve. This may be expressed in terms of a balance between the roles; rights and responsibilities of the main stakeholders (including the athlete, the university, the Member State and the European Union) which are articulated within the study. This research study therefore seeks to develop an understanding of the perspectives on student-athletes' development in academic and sporting terms, identifying the principal challenges faced and how these may be overcome, and considers the implications of such insights for practitioners and policy makers.

This project examines the medical management of pain and injury in British Olympic sport. By drawing upon the perspectives of health-care providers, it explores key developments such as the professionalisation, formalisation and bureaucratisation of sports medicine and the consequences of such developments on doctors' and physiotherapists' working practices, relationships with each other and on athlete care. A questionnaire about the backgrounds (e.g. the qualifications, experience and methods of recruitment and appointment) was sent to members of the British Olympic Association's Medical Committee and Physiotherapy Forum in November 2007 and in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 doctors and 14 physiotherapists between January and June 2008. Data indicate that attempts to professionalise sports medicine into a medical speciality have created fragmentation and resistance among the various groups involved in athlete care at this level. Whilst clinicians were committed by multi-disciplinary practice overall, data reveal qualitative differences between practitioners who have established themselves within bureaucratic organisations such as the English Institute of Sport (EIS) compared to those who provide largely voluntary medical services via National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs). Thus, practitioners in positions of managerial authority were constrained to negotiate the underlying amateur values of numerous sports medicine staff at the same time as striving for a professional ethos. Processes of professionalisation have also impacted upon the inter-professional relations between doctors and physiotherapists and the social organisation of athlete-care. As a consequence of their work setting, clinicians were constrained to adhere to the performance-motivated demands of their athlete and coach clients over longer-term health concerns. Because of their greater orientation towards performance, physiotherapists were able to effectively "compete" with doctors in a number of practice contexts and so claim considerable professional autonomy. This project adds to the existing body of knowledge on the medical practices of sports medicine clinicians in elite level sport and demonstrates the heterogeneity within this area of practice. Furthermore, the thesis highlights the importance of understanding clinicians working practices as a consequence of their particular work setting.