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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Use of Social Reference Groups in Sport Policy Making

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Based on reference group theory the purpose of the present study was to determine how sport political decision-makers acted while making decisions, and which reference groups and backgrounds they selected for supporting their behavior. Furthermore, the aim was to find out how the reference group strategy of decision-makers had changed since the middle of the 1970's (Olin, 1982). A sample of 1788 officials and appointed representatives from 167 cities in Finland were selected for the study. The results indicated that the reference groups and backgrounds the majority of the decision-makers chose as bases for their decision behavior in order of descending importance were: the city officials preparing the decision issues, the former decisions of the city, colleagues at one's place of work, top athletes, decision issues of the neighbouring city, participants in sport for all, members of the city council belonging to one's own political party, leaders of the SVUL-sport clubs contributing to top sports, members of the city cabinet belonging to one's own political party, members of one's family and the school physical educators. Changes were found in terms of the reference group strategy since the middle of the 1970's. Political affiliation and the decision-maker's role in the process of decision-making explained most of the variance found.