Dohe y, Alison; Hoebe , La ena; Hoebe , O land; Mo ison, K is en A.; Wol e,
Richa d
A icle
The adicalness o inno a ion in nonp o i communi y
spo o ganiza ions
Adminis a i e Sciences
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MDPI – Mul idisciplina y Digi al Publishing Ins i u e, Basel
Sugges ed Ci a ion: Dohe y, Alison; Hoebe , La ena; Hoebe , O land; Mo ison, K is en A.; Wol e,
Richa d (2025) : The adicalness o inno a ion in nonp o i communi y spo o ganiza ions,
Adminis a i e Sciences, ISSN 2076-3387, MDPI, Basel, Vol. 15, Iss. 2, pp. 1-21,
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Ci a ion: Dohe y, A., Hoebe , L.,
Hoebe , O., Mo ison, K. A., & Wol e,
R. (2025). The Radicalness o
Inno a ion in Nonp o i Communi y
Spo O ganiza ions. Adminis a i e
Sciences,15(2), 37. h ps://doi.o g/
10.3390/admsci15020037
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A icle
The Radicalness o Inno a ion in Nonp o i Communi y
Spo O ganiza ions
Alison Dohe y 1,*, La ena Hoebe 2, O land Hoebe 3, K is en A. Mo ison 4and Richa d Wol e 5
1School o Kinesiology, Wes e n Uni e si y, Richmond S , London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada
2Facul y o Kinesiology & Heal h S udies, Uni e si y o Regina, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada;
la ena.hoebe @u egina.ca
3Depa men o Compu e Science, Uni e si y o Regina, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada;
[email p o ec ed]
4Depa men o Kinesiology, Uni e si y o Windso , Windso , ON N9B 3P4, Canada;
k is en.mo ison@uwindso .ca
5Gus a son School o Business, Uni e si y o Vic o ia, Vic o ia, BC V8P 5C2, Canada; [email p o ec ed]
*Co espondence: [email p o ec ed]
Abs ac : Ou s udy examined and compa ed he ype, p ocess, condi ions, and conse-
quences o adical and inc emen al inno a ions in communi y spo o ganiza ions (CSOs),
which a e a ype o nonp o i membe ship associa ion. In e iews we e conduc ed wi h
he p esiden (o ep esen a i e) o 14 CSOs engaged wi h bo h adical and inc emen al
inno a ions. Radical inno a ions we e epo ed o be mos ly echnical (bu also adminis a-
i e), unde aken wi h he goal o club g ow h and enhancing club managemen , adop ed
and u he adap ed om ou side he o ganiza ion, in luenced by he cul u e and expe ise
o he boa d and he cul u e and capaci y o he CSO a la ge, and in o med by ma ke
oppo uni y and bes p ac ices. The adical inno a ions we e epo ed o be success ul in
eaching hei in ended goals, and a wide a ie y o unan icipa ed (posi i e) consequences
was also ealized. The indings ha e implica ions o he managemen o adical (and
inc emen al) inno a ion in he ocal nonp o i con ex and con ibu e o heo izing abou
he adicalness o o ganiza ional inno a ion.
Keywo ds: o ganiza ional inno a ion; adical inno a ion; inc emen al inno a ion; non-
p o i membe ship associa ion
1. In oduc ion
Communi y spo o ganiza ions (CSOs), also e e ed o as olun a y spo clubs, a e
g ass oo s membe ship associa ions ha ep esen a unique subse o nonp o i o ganiza-
ions (Dohe y e al.,2014). They end o ha e a hea y eliance on membe olun ee s,
a communi y ocus, ela i ely in o mal s uc u e, and modes budge s d awn p ima ily
om membe ship ees (c . Smi h,2000;Tschi ha ,2006,2020). CSOs o e ec ea ional and
compe i i e spo p og ams ha se e child en, you h, adul , and/o senio pa icipan s.
These local spo clubs can also be impo an mechanisms o ci ic ac i ism, social capi al,
and communi y de elopmen (Dohe y & Cuskelly,2020;Feile & B eue ,2020;Misene
& T ussell,2020), simila o o he nonp o i s (Toeple & Anheie ,2020). They a e common
in Wes e n coun ies (c . B eue e al.,2015;Nichols e al.,2015;Noble-Campbell e al.,
2019;Schee de e al.,2015) as he ounda ion o a na ion’s spo sys em (Hallman & Pe y,
2013). CSOs a e also inno a ing (see Co hou s e al.,2020,2023;Delshab e al.,2022;Hoebe
e al.,2015;Hoebe & Hoebe ,2012;Wemme & Koenigs o e ,2016) o mee membe
and communi y demands and o compe e and su i e in an e e -changing en i onmen
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 37 h ps://doi.o g/10.3390/admsci15020037
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 37 2 o 21
(c . C ossan & Apaydin,2010). Howe e , he “ adicalness” o hese inno a ions is no clea ,
speci ically whe he hey cons i u e g ea e o lesse deg ees o depa u e om exis ing
p ac ice and o ganiza ional impac (Damanpou ,2020). Unde s anding his dis inc ion is
impo an because i has implica ions o whe he such nonp o i membe ship associa ions
a e likely o ake up mo e adical inno a ions, which can add new alue o membe s bu
may be iewed as isky, mo e unp edic able, and equi e an in es men in new knowledge
(Sha ma e al.,2017), o hey a e limi ed o mo e inc emen al changes ha a e seen as sa e
and equi e less new knowledge (McDe mo & O’Conno ,2002).
Gi en his po en ial ange o inno a ions, as well as he associa ed condi ions and
implica ions o hei up ake (e.g., Dewa & Du on,1986;Engen & Holen,2014;Fo és
& Camisón,2016;Kobe g e al.,2003;Wee awa dena & Mo ,2012), i is impo an o
dis inguish he na u e o adical inno a ion in a pa icula con ex and he ac o s ha shape
i s conside a ion, adop ion, and u he consequences. Inc emen al inno a ion p o ides
a na u al compa a o ha helps o enhance ou unde s anding h ough con as . Insigh
in o hese inno a ion a ibu es can con ibu e o a be e unde s anding o how CSOs may
espond o expec a ions and p essu es, wi h implica ions o he e ec i e deli e y and
impac o communi y spo (c . Toeple & Anheie ,2020). To ex end he li e a u e and he
unde s anding o inno a ion and speci ically adicalness in hese g ass oo s nonp o i s,
he pu pose o his s udy was o explo e he ype, selec aspec s o he p ocess, and he
consequences o adical inno a ion in CSOs in compa ison o inc emen al inno a ion. We
begin wi h a e iew o he concep ual amewo k o inno a ion ha guided he s udy
and an o e iew o he ela ed esea ch li e a u e on adical s. inc emen al inno a ion,
as well as inno a ion in communi y spo clubs. This is ollowed by a desc ip ion o
ou quali a i e me hodology and hen a p esen a ion o indings and hei discussion.
Concluding commen s highligh implica ions o heo y and p ac ice, as well as limi a ions
o he s udy wi h di ec ions o u u e esea ch.
2. Concep ual F amewo k
Inno a ion ep esen s, in i s b oades o m, “newness o no el y” (Damanpou ,2020,
p. 5). Howe e , i s concep ualiza ion becomes inc easingly nuanced beyond ha . An
economic-based iew o inno a ion ends o ocus on newness in e ms o a p oduc o
ma ke —some hing ha is new o a ield—and is associa ed wi h a “compe i ion-weal h”
app oach, whe e he p ima y conce n is he compe i i eness and supe io pe o mance ha
is in ended wi h he inno a ion (Damanpou ,2020). This iew aligns wi h o ganiza ions
ha a e p ima ily economic o comme cial en i ies, and ela ed esea ch ends o ocus
on he gene a ion o new echnology, p oduc s, and manu ac u ing. The economic-based
iew may be less ele an in he nonp o i con ex , which is adi ionally mo e ocused
on c ea ing social alue han de eloping compe i i e ad an age and maximizing p o i s
(S ensson e al.,2020), al hough socially en ep eneu ial nonp o i s may be an excep ion
(Wee awa dena & Mo ,2012). A social-based iew o inno a ion, on he o he hand,
ocuses on he di usion and adop ion o p oduc s and p ac ices by an o ganiza ion and i s
membe s, and i is associa ed wi h an “adap a ion-p og ession” app oach o ope a ional
e iciency and su i al (Damanpou ,2020). This iew aligns wi h o ganiza ions add essing
social needs and doing so e icien ly and e ec i ely, wi h ela ed esea ch ocused la gely
on he inno a ion capabili y o he o ganiza ion.
Al hough economic-based and social-based iews a e dis inc heo e ical app oaches,
hey a e no mu ually exclusi e (Damanpou ,2020), and o ganiza ional inno a ion may
be conside ed om bo h pe spec i es. Ou s udy does so as bo h club g ow h in e ms
o ma ke sha e o membe s and he e enues hey b ing in, as well as e ec i e ope -
a ions and impac ul p og ams, a e he ocus o CSO inno a ions in p e ious esea ch,
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 37 3 o 21
as e iewed below. Ou explo a o y app oach allows o he conside a ion o a ange
o inno a ions, gene a ed o adop ed by CSOs, o compe i i eness and pe o mance
and/o e iciency and su i al. I also add esses he call o b idge he agmen a ion o
he economic- and social-based iews (Damanpou ,2020), as well as he possibili y o an
inno a i e p oduc o p ac ice gene a ed by a CSO o i sel and pe haps o he ield (c .
C ossan & Apaydin,2010).
Wi hin hese b oade laye s, Damanpou (2020) ou lines elemen s ha a e ounda-
ional o unde s anding and suppo ing o ganiza ional inno a ion, including in nonp o i
o ganiza ions. He concep ualizes a model ha aligns inno a ion ype (e.g., echnical and
non- echnical), p ocess (oppo uni y, gene a ion o adop ion, and implemen a ion), and
adicalness (no el y o newness, depa u e om exis ing p ac ice, and impac on he o gani-
za ion) as a guide and a call o esea ch ha gene a es ich and mo e complex insigh s o
be e cap u e he phenomenon o inno a ion.
Typologies o inno a ion ha e been o in e es o many schola s (C ossan & Apaydin,
2010;Damanpou ,2020), enabling esea che s o heo ize abou some o he nuances o
inno a ion. Inno a ions can be amed as a p oduc o p ocess, dis inguishing a new
p oduc o add ess clien s’ needs and a new in e nal p ocess o p oducing p oduc s o
ende ing se ices. This ypology has ecei ed he mos esea ch a en ion, wi h a ocus on
p oduc s (o se ices) ha a e new o a ma ke and new ways o manu ac u ing exis ing
(o new) p oduc s ha is consis en wi h he popula economic-based iew o inno a ion
(Damanpou ,2020). Ano he ypology, and he ocus o his s udy, is he echnical and
non- echnical inno a ion dicho omy, wi h he la e also labeled mo e indica i ely as
adminis a i e o manage ial inno a ion. Technical inno a ions cons i u e new p oduc s,
se ices, and he p ocesses o p o ide hem, and hey a e “di ec ly ela ed o he p ima y
wo k ac i i y o he o ganiza ion” (Damanpou & E an,1984, p. 394). In con as , non-
echnical adminis a i e inno a ions a e cha ac e ized by changes pe aining o s a egy,
s uc u e, and con ol “ ha occu in he social sys em o an o ganiza ion” (Damanpou
& E an,1984, p. 394). The echnical-adminis a i e ypology aligns wi h a social-based
app oach o inno a ion wi h i s ocus on he adop e ’s pe spec i e o change o ope a ional
e iciency and su i al h ough “adap a ion-p og ession”.
The p ocess elemen o o ganiza ional inno a ion comp ises i s ini ia ion (awa eness, and
in en o objec i e, o he inno a ion), he adop ion decision (whom, and sou ces o d i ing
condi ions), and he e ec i eness o i s implemen a ion (consequences) (Damanpou ,2020).
The condi ions po en ially impac ing he adop ion decision a e mul idimensional: indi idual
(leade ship) ac o s e e o people, as well as pa icula ly manage s o s a egic leade s, who
may in luence inno a ion adop ion and implemen a ion; o ganiza ional (in e nal) ac o s
ha may come in o play include a ailable esou ces, s uc u e, clima e, and cul u e; and
en i onmen al (ex e nal) ac o s ha can d i e inno a ion may be p oximal o dis al o he
o ganiza ion and a e expec ed o a y by indus y o sec o (Damanpou ,2020). Toge he
he elemen s o o ganiza ional inno a ion ype and p ocess ame ou explo a ion o he
adicalness o inno a ion in CSOs as a ype o nonp o i g ass oo s membe ship associa ion.
Radicalness—a hi d o ganiza ional inno a ion elemen —has ecei ed limi ed empi i-
cal a en ion in any indus y con ex , pa icula ly in combina ion wi h inno a ion ype and
p ocess (Damanpou ,2020). The limi ed a en ion may be a e lec ion o he lack o cla i y
ega ding wha cons i u es adical inno a ions (Sha ma e al.,2017), o ha hey a e less
common in con as o inc emen al inno a ions (Damanpou ,1996; c . Hoebe e al.,2015;
Kobe g e al.,2003). Damanpou and Wischne sky (2006) no e ha esea che s ha e ended
o label he adicalness o inno a ions hemsel es, selec ing inno a ions and o ganiza ions
o s udy wi h he p esump ion ha hey will be cap u ing adical inno a ion. Howe e ,
i can and should be mo e accu a ely dis inguished om inc emen al inno a ion by he
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 37 4 o 21
adop ing o ganiza ions (c . Sha ma e al.,2017;S ensson e al.,2020), consis en wi h a
social-based iew o inno a ion (Damanpou ,2020). As Sha ma e al. (2017, p. 18) no e,
“ adicalness depends on p io expe iences and compe ences o indi iduals, g oups, and he
adop ing o ganiza ion”. The ypical singula e lec ion on he deg ee o no el y o newness,
a depa u e om exis ing p ac ice, and/o he o ganiza ional impac o adical inno a ion
may ha e me i ; howe e , a iche and mo e meaning ul unde s anding demands con-
side a ion o he ypes o inno a ions ha a e adical om he adop e s’ pe spec i e, he
condi ions o hei conside a ion and adop ion, and ul ima ely, he consequences—posi i e
o nega i e— o engaging in wha is conside ed mo e adical han inc emen al inno a ion
(c . Damanpou ,2020). Ou s udy is ocused on his mo e holis ic iew o adicalness in
he con ex o nonp o i g ass oo s CSOs.
3. Re iew o he Li e a u e
3.1. Radical s. Inc emen al Inno a ion
Se e al s udies ha e examined and con as ed he adop ion o adical and inc emen al
inno a ion (e.g., Dewa & Du on,1986;Engen & Holen,2014;Fo és & Camisón,2016;
Kobe g e al.,2003;Wee awa dena & Mo ,2012), wi h a pa icula ocus on condi ions o
ha adop ion. In an ea ly s udy, Dewa and Du on examined he adop ion o adical (high
deg ee o new knowledge) e sus inc emen al (low deg ee o new knowledge) echnical
inno a ions by oo wea manu ac u ing o ganiza ions and ound ha he a ailabili y o
echnical specialis s was mos c i ical o he success ul adop ion o mo e adical p ac ices.
Manage ial a i udes and p ac ices we e no mo e impo an o he up ake o adical han
inc emen al inno a ions. Kobe g e al. (2003) ound some a ia ion in o ganiza ional and
en i onmen al ac o s ha in luenced he adop ion o inc emen al and adical inno a ions
in i ms ac oss a mix o indus ies. Inc emen al inno a ions we e epo ed o a signi ican ly
g ea e ex en , as he au ho s expec ed, and we e uniquely (and posi i ely) p edic ed
by he age and size o he i m. These o ganiza ional ac o s had no bea ing on adical
inno a ions; howe e , he i ms’ suppo o expe imen a ion was a unique p edic o o
hese mo e no el changes. No ably, s uc u al linkages wi hin he i ms ha suppo he
exchange o and collabo a ion a ound new ideas, as well as he amoun and complexi y o
in o ma ion a ailable o he i ms (en i onmen al dynamism), we e signi ican condi ions
o he adop ion o bo h inc emen al and adical inno a ions.
Engen and Holen (2014) examined se ice i m inno a ions along he “no el y spec-
um” (p. 16) and ound in o ma ion om and coope a ion wi h cus ome s o be a mo e
meaning ul o engagemen in adical han inc emen al inno a ion. This inding ex ends
Kobe g e al.’s (2003) obse a ion wi h he no ion ha bo h o ms o inno a ion may be
p omp ed by a dynamic en i onmen , bu adical inno a ion elies pa icula ly on a con-
nec ion wi h cus ome s in ha en i onmen , al hough his may be speci ic o he se ice
i ms ha Engen and Holen s udied. In con as , employee collabo a ion on ideas was
only impac ul o inc emen al inno a ion, while he need o new knowledge a ound he
inno a ion was impo an o bo h ypes o inno a ion. In a s udy compa ing he pe o -
mance o adical and inc emen al inno a ions in indus ial i ms, Fo és and Camisón (2016)
conside ed he impac o in e nal knowledge c ea ion capaci y ( he abili y o gene a e, ans-
e , and in eg a e new knowledge wi hin he i m) and abso p i e capaci y ( he abili y o
iden i y, acqui e, ans o m, and apply new knowledge om ou side he i m). Bo h o ms
o knowledge accumula ion capaci y had a di ec posi i e e ec on he pe o mance o he
indus ial i ms’ inc emen al inno a ions, while he abili y o abso b ex e nal knowledge
was he only signi ican di ec de e minan o adical inno a ion pe o mance. The indings
sugges ha in e nal knowledge c ea ion is su icien o inc emen al inno a ion bu no
o adical inno a ion pe o mance. To engage success ully wi h mo e no el changes,
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 37 5 o 21
o ganiza ions mus ely on he abili y o iden i y, acqui e, ans o m, and apply new ideas
om ou side hei bounda ies (Fo és & Camisón,2016). Like Engen and Holen, Fo és and
Camisón ound ha adical inno a ions we e mo e in luenced by ex e nal knowledge.
In he con ex o nonp o i s, Wee awa dena and Mo (2012) examined he magni ude
o inno a ions pu sued by socially en ep eneu ial se ice o ganiza ions and he en i on-
men al condi ions o ha e o . Wha we e iden i ied as inc emen al inno a ions included
ex ending and changing he o ma o p og amming o se e new and di e en g oups
and building a compu e ized da abase, which had posi i e impac s o he a ge ed clien s
and o he o ganiza ions’ inancial capaci y. Radical inno a ions included a p og am
ini ia i e ha had no been ied in he indus y be o e, and i was dependen on indi id-
uals’ knowledge and ne wo ks, as well as se e al ini ia i es ocused on sys em changes
aimed a building sus ainable capaci y o inancial su i al, in esponse o he u bulen
en i onmen and beyond wha inc emen al inno a ions could add ess (Wee awa dena &
Mo ,2012).
Each o hese compa a i e s udies was g ounded in he same concep ualiza ion and
e idence o adical inno a ion as a clea depa u e om exis ing, undamen al p ac ice,
eplacing wha was p esen be o e, and inc emen al inno a ion as mino and mo e simple
e inemen changes we e low in b ead h o impac . Va ia ions in selec condi ions d i ing
he adicalness o inno a ion we e epo ed, and his wo k con ibu es o heo izing abou
he adicalness wi h e idence o he condi ions ha limi o suppo mo e adical o mo e
inc emen al changes bu wi h a pa icula ocus on o -p o i o ganiza ions.
3.2. Inno a ion in Communi y Spo Clubs
Resea ch on inno a ion in g ass oo s membe ship associa ions appea s o be la gely
limi ed o a ocus on CSOs, wi h li le indica ion o he s udy o o ganiza ional inno a ion
in o he simila ypes o ins i u ions. An excep ion is a case s udy o a speci ic inno a ion—
membe ship s uc u e—o a new poli ical pa y (Gomez & Rami o,2019). Inno a ion
esea ch on membe ship associa ions mo e b oadly (including comme cial and indus ial
sec o s) conside ed he es ablishmen o a membe ship associa ion as he inno a ion (Fio i o
& Ja ley,1992), he ole o p o essional and indus y associa ions in di usion wi hin an
inno a ion sys em (e.g., Koscha zky e al.,2014;Maennig & Ölschläge ,2011;Newell &
Swan,1995), and, ela edly, he impac o i m engagemen in membe ship associa ions on
he inno a ion pe o mance o he i m (e.g., Guisado-González e al.,2024;Wang e al.,
2019;Zhang e al.,2019). The e appea s o be a dea h o esea ch examining inno a ion,
and adicalness in pa icula , wi hin membe ship associa ions, as well as g ass oo s ypes
speci ically. To p o ide a ounda ion o ou s udy, we u n o a e iew o exis ing esea ch
on inno a ion in CSOs, since hey a e a ype o nonp o i membe ship associa ions.
Toge he , CSO esea ch has conside ed he ypes, de e minan s, and p ocesses o
inno a ions pe aining o local spo p og ams and se ices o pa icipan s ac oss he age
span, as well as he s uc u e and deli e y o hose p og ams and se ices. Inno a ions
ha e been aimed a , o example, easing he bu den o olun ee s, s eng hening he quali y
o spo p og ams and hei deli e y, and g owing he membe ship o he club in i s
communi y, e lec ing bo h social and economic iews o inno a ion in his con ex . These
oci align wi h undamen al goals o CSOs, so i is impo an o be e unde s and he
na u e and p ocess o inno a ion in his con ex .
Add essing an iden i ied gap in he li e a u e, Hoebe e al. (2015) explo ed he ex en
and na u e o inno a ion in CSOs, ocusing on he Canadian con ex . In e iews wi h
leade s o 42 clubs engaged wi h ei he a adi ional o mo e con empo a y spo e ealed
ha hese g ass oo s membe ship-based nonp o i s a e indeed inno a i e, iden i ying a
o al o 188 inno a ions hey had aken up in he p e ious h ee yea s. The in es iga o s
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 37 6 o 21
epo ed ha he inno a ions we e p edominan ly adminis a i e and ocused on sys ems
changes ega ding in o ma ion echnology, human esou ce managemen , and inances (in
compa ison o echnical inno a ions, which ocused on p og am deli e y and equipmen );
and hey we e p edominan ly de e mined o be inc emen al (as opposed o adical), as
cha ac e ized by wha seemed o be lesse deg ees o depa u e om exis ing p ac ice.
Howe e , he au ho s acknowledged he challenge o in e p e ing he deg ee o adicalness
hemsel es because wha may be conside ed mino o majo can a y om se ing o se ing.
They none heless highligh ed he a ie y o inno a ions being pu sued by CSOs, and hey
no ed ha clubs “need access o exis ing knowledge, om in e nal and ex e nal sou ces,
o he abili y o c ea e new knowledge in o de o adop and implemen he inno a ions”
(Hoebe e al.,2015, p. 518).
In an ea lie case s udy o a nonp o i socce club, Hoebe and Hoebe (2012) ocused
on i s adop ion o a echnical inno a ion (elec onic game shee s) and he inno a ion p ocess
ha un olded in doing so, including condi ions a he manage ial, o ganiza ional, and en i-
onmen al le els. They ound ha leade commi men (manage ial ac o ) and club capaci y
(o ganiza ional ac o ) we e c i ical de e minan s o he inno a ion adop ion. Mo e ecen ly,
building on he ea lie wo k o Hoebe and colleagues, Co hou s e al. (2020) conduc ed a
su ey s udy o he condi ions o de e minan s o di e en ypes o inno a ion adop ed in
CSOs in Eu ope. The inno a ions, “special ini ia i es” ha we e in oduced in o he clubs o
speci ic a ge g oups (women and gi ls, child en and adolescen s, people wi h disabili ies,
mig an s, and he elde ly), we e classi ied by he echnical-adminis a i e ypology. Manage-
ial (a i ude o social inclusion, heal h, and ans o ma ion), o ganiza ional (size, age, and
capaci y), and en i onmen al (u baniza ion and compe i ion) condi ions o inno a ion we e
also conside ed. The au ho s epo ed ha manage ial a i ude, inancial capaci y, and he
ex en o compe i ion om comme cial o o -p o i clubs we e signi ican p edic o s o bo h
echnical and adminis a i e inno a ion in he clubs. Human esou ce capaci y (p esence o
paid s a ) was a singula p edic o o echnical inno a ions.
In a su ey s udy wi h Flemish nonp o i spo o ganiza ions, including CSOs,
Co hou s e al. (2023) applied hei h ee-dimensional model o inno a ion o m (p ocess
and p oduc ), na u e (adminis a i e and echnical), and goal (comme cial success and
social bene i ) o desc ibe he nuances o inno a ions in clubs. They ound ha CSOs we e
mo e likely o implemen echnical a he han adminis a i e inno a ions, which is in con-
as o Hoebe e al.’s (2015) indings abou he p e alence o adminis a i e o e echnical
inno a ions. Co hou s e al. (2023) sugges ed ha he con as may be a unc ion o he
lesse cons ain s on echnical inno a ions by Flemish law and pe haps a pa icula up ake
o echnology and social media in he suppo o p og am deli e y and club g ow h by he
clubs s udied. They also epo ed a p edominan ocus on social (e.g., inclusion and heal h
ocus) as opposed o comme cial goals associa ed wi h he clubs’ inno a ions. In hei
mul i-laye ed s udy, he au ho s ound e y li le impac o manage ial (a i ude owa ds
change) o en i onmen al ac o s (coope a ion, compe i ion) on inno a ion adop ion. The
mos consis en o ganiza ional condi ions o inno a ion we e o ganiza ion age and a ocus
on gene al heal h and heal hy exe cise. The au ho s sugges ha nuances o inno a ion may
no be cap u ed in su ace le el su ey esea ch like hei s. Nei he Hoebe and Hoebe
(2012) no Co hou s e al. (2020,2023) conside ed he magni ude o adicalness o he
inno a ion(s) hey examined.
In a shi in ocus, Wemme and Koenigs o e (2016) and Wemme e al. (2016)
examined open inno a ion in CSOs. Open inno a ion is “ he pu posi e in lows and
ou lows o knowledge o accele a e in e nal inno a ion, and expand he ma ke s o
ex e nal use o inno a ion, espec i ely” (Chesb ough,2006, p. 1). Based on in e iews
wi h leade s o 11 nonp o i spo clubs in Ge many, Wemme and Koenigs o e ound ha
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 37 7 o 21
“coope i ion”, bo h compe i ion and coope a ion wi h o he clubs, d i es success in adop ing
and implemen ing ou side knowledge in hei inno a ing p ac ices. Ha ing membe s ha
a e engaged and commi ed o con ibu ing hei human capi al o he en u e is also
impo an . Subsequen ly, Wemme e al. (2016) examined he impac o coope i ion on
open inno a ion and pe o mance in Ge man nonp o i spo clubs. The su ey o club
boa d membe s e ealed ha collabo a ion wi h compe i o s, and pa icula ly he use o
he ou side knowledge aspec o open inno a ion, was a signi ican ac o o inno a ions
ha suppo ed he inancial s abili y and membe ship de elopmen o he clubs. Building
on ha wo k and unpacking he knowledge aspec s o inno a ion u he , Delshab e al.
(2022) conduc ed a su ey s udy o CSOs in I an and ound ha knowledge managemen
p ocesses (e.g., knowledge c ea ion, knowledge sha ing) led o a posi i e a i ude owa d
newness among membe s, as well as openness o ideas. In u n, hese a i udes suppo ed
open inno a ion and, ul ima ely, o ganiza ional pe o mance. In hese wo ks, oo, he
adicalness o he inno a ions was no conside ed.
Wi h some a en ion o mo e adical inno a ion, Cha d e al. (2020) iden i ied a
dele e ious phenomenon o ice hockey ou namen scheduling ha was causing eli e
adolescen playe s o miss a la ge numbe o school days, and hey p oposed wha hey
belie e o be a “dis up i e s a egic inno a ion” (p. 5) ha would be expec ed o equi e a
“shi in he mindse ” (p. 10). Howe e , hey oo wonde ed “wha cons i u es a ela i ely
small change?” (p. 11). Thei p oposed inno a ion calls o esea ch o be e unde s and
wha clubs pe cei e o be mo e adical o mo e inc emen al changes and he condi ions (and
consequences) o each. We add ess his call and he need o g ea e insigh o adicalness
in CSOs in he cu en s udy.
Ou explo a ion o he na u e, adop ion, and consequences o adical inno a ion, as
well as i s complemen inc emen al inno a ion, builds on and ex ends wha is known
abou inno a ion in he g ass oo s nonp o i con ex o CSOs. I also u he suppo s
heo izing abou he adicalness o inno a ion by examining he “chain o inno a ion”
mo e ho oughly (c . Damanpou ,2020). To do his, ou in es iga ion was guided by
se e al esea ch ques ions:
(1)
Do CSOs engage in wha hey pe cei e o be adical inno a ion?
(2)
Wha ype(s) o inno a ions ( echnical and/o adminis a i e) a e adical and inc e-
men al in CSOs?
(3)
Does he adop ion p ocess and consequences o adical and inc emen al inno a ion
di e o CSOs?
4. Me hod
We adop ed a compa a i e case s udy design in o med by a pos -posi i is in e p e-
i is pa adigm (Denzin & Lincoln,2000) o examine inno a ion in CSOs ha pe cei ed
ha hey engaged in bo h adical and inc emen al inno a ion. App o al om he REBs o
he lead au ho s’ ins i u ions was ob ained p io o con ac wi h pa icipan s.
4.1. Pa icipan s
We engaged in pu posi e sampling o CSOs ha had conside ed o adop ed bo h
adical and inc emen al inno a ions in he p e ious h ee yea s. Wa es o samples o CSOs
ac oss a a ie y o spo s and small/medium (popn. less han 100,000) and la ge-me o
(100,000+) communi ies in On a io, Canada, we e con ac ed based on email add esses a ail-
able in he public domain. The p esiden o each CSO was in i ed ia email o pa icipa e
in he s udy i hei club me he s a ed inclusion c i e ia. Radical and inc emen al inno a-
ions we e dis inguished o p ospec i e pa icipan s as ha which “in ol es a signi ican
depa u e om exis ing p ac ice” and “in ol es less o a depa u e om how hings a e
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 37 8 o 21
done”, espec i ely. Ensu ing pa icipan s we e able o compa e be ween he wo ypes
o inno a ions inc eased hei abili y o dis inguish espec i e a ibu es, condi ions, and
consequences. We conduc ed elephone in e iews wi h he p esiden (o ep esen a i e)
o 14 CSOs om 11 di e en spo s in 4 small–medium and 5 la ge-me o communi ies
ac oss he p o ince. Sampling con inued un il da a sa u a ion was eached. Club leade s
we spoke wi h we e in hei ole be ween 1 and 12 yea s (a e age 4.25 yea s), and all we e
o had been in ol ed in hei club in o he ways be ween 2 and 31 yea s (a e age 13 yea s).
4.2. Da a Collec ion and Analysis
In line wi h Damanpou (2020), a semi-s uc u ed in e iew guide was de eloped
o elici desc ip ions o he a ibu es o wha he pa icipan s conside ed o, i s , be a
adical inno a ion in hei club, aspec s o he inno a ion adop ion p ocess (awa eness and
in en , condi ions, and decision), and he impac o consequences o ha inno a ion o da e.
The se ies o ques ions was hen epea ed o wha he pa icipan s conside ed o be an
inc emen al inno a ion in hei club. Gi en ou ocus on inno a ion wi hin CSOs and hei
expe iences, we explo ed inno a ion om ‘ he eye o he beholde ’ pe spec i e, which
is consis en wi h he social iew and con as s he economic iew o wha he b oade
ma ke conside s o be inno a i e (Damanpou ,2020). This app oach also helps o coun e
a possible ‘p o-inno a ion’ bias (Roge s,2003), whe e inno a ion is p esumed o be only
posi i e o o ganiza ions, by unco e ing clubs’ ac ual expe iences. The in e iews we e
conduc ed a he con enience o pa icipan s, and all pa icipan s we e audio eco ded wi h
hei e bal consen . The in e iews, which a e aged 40 min, we e ansc ibed e ba im
and e u ned o pa icipan s o e i ica ion, wi h e y ew adjus men s made.
The da a we e subjec o hema ic analysis (B aun & Cla ke,2006) in ol ing bo h de-
duc i e and induc i e coding. As a eam, we de eloped open coding amewo ks o wha
he pa icipan s indica ed as adical and inc emen al inno a ions, based on he concep ual
amewo k, p io esea ch, and in e iew ques ions. The da a we e deduc i ely coded
as a i s s ep acco ding o he (1) meaning o adical/inc emen al inno a ion, (2) ype
(adminis a i e, echnical), (3) in en o he inno a ion, (4) awa eness o he inno a ion, (5)
manage ial, o ganiza ional and en i onmen al condi ions, (6) decision p ocess, and (7) con-
sequences. Fu he induc i e coding was unde aken by all eam membe s independen ly
and hen collabo a i ely based on pa e ns o hemes ac oss he da a wi hin hese open
codes, whe e ele an .
5. Findings
5.1. Type and Radicalness o Inno a ions
The pa icipan s desc ibed inno a ions hey deemed adical o hei club as “huge”
and “signi ican ”, and ha hey “a ec ed e e ybody ac oss he boa d”. One club p esiden
no ed ha “nobody eally has done any hing like his a all in [ he ci y]”, while he leade
o ano he club sha ed ha “wha we o e
. . .
has eally changed he concep o [ he spo
o you h]”. The adical inno a ions we e also desc ibed as “ o eign” and aking “a big
s ep o wa d by doing ha ”. Speci ic inno a ions ha we e desc ibed as adical included
in oducing e en s and p og ams o new membe s (eigh clubs), hi ing a hle es o coach
(one club), and in oducing spo o icials de elopmen (one club), which we in e p e ed
o cons i u e echnical inno a ions as new p oduc s, se ices, o ways o deli e hose.
Employing new in e ac i e media pla o ms ( h ee clubs), ins i u ing a new o ganiza ional
s uc u e ( wo clubs), and pa ne ing wi h a acili y owne (one club) we e de e mined o
ep esen adminis a i e inno a ions as changes o he social sys em o he o ganiza ion.
Radical adminis a i e inno a ions we e less common han echnical ones (See Table 1).
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 37 15 o 21
inno a ions gene a ed wi hin he CSOs, bu ha was ce ainly he excep ion. Fo és and
Camisón (2016) ound ha in e nal knowledge c ea ion was su icien o inc emen al inno a-
ion among he 952 i ms hey s udied; howe e , i was insu icien o adical inno a ions in
ha con ex , whe e he abso p i e capaci y o he i ms o iden i y, acqui e, ans o m, and
implemen new knowledge was a di ec condi ion o adical inno a ion, an obse a ion ha
was ein o ced by Engen and Holen’s (2014) inding ha he success ul adop ion o adical
( s. inc emen al) inno a ions was mo e dependen on in o ma ion om cus ome s. This is
simila o adical inno a ion in he nonp o i CSOs we s udied, as knowledge and ideas o
hese no el p ac ices we e also b ough o he boa d by club membe s in wha may be seen
as a “co-p oduc ion” be ween CSO “consume s” (B andsen e al.,2020) and he go e ning
boa d membe s.
The in en ions o he CSOs in ou sample o adical and inc emen al inno a ions
we e simila wi h ega d o imp o ing club managemen , albei di e en aspec s. Howe e ,
adical inno a ions we e also in ended o add ess club g ow h (membe ship and spo
p og ams) wi h an ou wa d ocus, while inc emen al inno a ions we e a ge ed o pa ici-
pan de elopmen (spo pa icipa ion, pe sonal g ow h, and sa is ac ion), wi h an in e nal
ocus. Thus, he goals o he adical inno a ions appea o align wi h bo h economic-based
(compe i ion-weal h) and social-based (adap a ion-p og ession) iews. I sugges s ha , jus
as he e may be a mix o ypes o adical inno a ions ( echnical and adminis a i e), hey
may also ha e economic and social goals. Co hou s e al. (2023) ound ha he nonp o i
spo o ganiza ions hey s udied had o e whelmingly social goals o hei inno a ion,
sugges ing ha hey may ha e been examining p edominan ly inc emen al changes, which
may be mos common in CSOs anyway (c . Hoebe e al.,2015). Taken oge he , he indings
suppo he complexi y and po en ial nuances o adical inno a ion and adicalness ha
wa an u he explo a ion.
The esea ch li e a u e indica es ha some condi ions a e di e en o adical and in-
c emen al inno a ions, and some a e simila ac oss he con inuum o adicalness (in o he
wo ds o all inno a ions). Ou indings in he con ex o he nonp o i CSOs a e consis en
wi h his obse a ion. A posi i e a i ude o pe spec i e a he manage ial (o boa d) le el has
been epo ed o be an impo an condi ion o any magni ude o inno a ion in o he s udies
(Co hou s e al.,2020;Delshab e al.,2022;Dewa & Du on,1986;Hoebe & Hoebe ,2012;
Wemme & Koenigs o e ,2016). Highligh ing a u he nuance o adical inno a ion, he
clubs in ou s udy indica ed he impo ance o a boa d cha ac e ized by openness o ideas and
willingness o ake isks o his deg ee o change in hese nonp o i g ass oo s membe ship
associa ions. Coope a ion and consensus only we e indica ed o conside ing and making
decisions abou inc emen ally new ideas. Simila ly, Kobe g e al. (2003) ound ha a cul u e
o expe imen a ion, which suppo s lexibili y and s a egic esponsi eness o a changing
en i onmen while emaining ocused on he p esen , was only meaning ul o adical inno-
a ions in i ms ac oss a a ie y o indus ies. Radical inno a ions, by de ini ion, cons i u e
big and pe haps ne e be o e expe ienced changes o o ganiza ions, so an assump ion and
accep ance o isk mus inhe en ly be pa o hei success ul adop ion.
Al hough nonp o i boa d membe s wi h expe ise and expe ience ha can suppo an
inno a ion we e impo an ac o s o bo h adical and inc emen al inno a ion, hey we e
emphasized mo e o he o me han he la e . The pa icula impo ance o indi idual
expe ise o adical inno a ion was highligh ed by Wee awa dena and Mo (2012) in hei
s udy o nonp o i s and Dewa and Du on’s (1986) s udy o manu ac u ing i ms, and
in pa icula , i was highligh ed in ou s udy o adical idea champions. Wee awa dena
and Mo also epo ed he impo ance o adical inno a ion o indi iduals wi h ou side
ne wo ks, a inding ha pa allels ou obse a ion o boa d membe connec ions o adical
inno a ions in he CSOs. Thus, human capi al appea s o be a necessa y condi ion o he
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 37 16 o 21
adop ion o any magni ude o inno a ion, bu ele an skills and expe ience, as well as
ex e nal connec ions, appea o be pa icula ly impo an o mo e adical changes. Fu u e
esea ch is wa an ed o unpack he speci ic skills and expe iences ha may be c i ical o
adical e sus echnical inno a ion in his con ex .
Club cul u e was an o ganiza ional condi ion o inno a ion ac oss he adicalness
spec um, al hough he na u e o ha cul u e a ied o adical and inc emen al changes.
Coope a ion and collabo a ion ac oss he club was ound o be impo an o adical in-
no a ions, sugges ing ha i is impo an i no necessa y o membe s o hese nonp o i
g ass oo s associa ions (and no jus he boa d) o be engaged in and commi ed o he
idea and i s implemen a ion. This ex ends Wemme and Koenigs o e ’s (2016) concep ual-
iza ion o he impo ance o manage ial commi men ; howe e , hey did no speci y he
adicalness o inno a ion in hei model. In con as , inc emen al inno a ion in he CSOs
was dependen on membe s being in o med so ha hey can unde s and he ela i ely
mino changes aking place.
Club capaci y was ano he impo an condi ion, bo h in d i ing and de e ing inno a ion
in he CSOs we s udied. Capaci y con inues o be o pa icula in e es in CSO esea ch, wi h
a en ion o he mul iple dimensions ha may impac club pe o mance in gene al (e.g., ope a-
ions, quali y p og amming, communi y p esence; Dohe y & Cuskelly,2020) and speci ic
ini ia i es (e.g., Ki chin & C ossin,2018;Nowy e al.,2020). Howe e , i does no appea o
ha e been examined wi h ega d o inno a ion. Human and inancial esou ce capaci y ha e
been iden i ied as consis en ly c i ical dimensions ac oss a a ie y o CSO ci cums ances. The
dimension o human esou ces, and speci ically su icien , skilled olun ee s, was impo an
o bo h inc emen al and adical inno a ions in ou s udy, highligh ing i s cen ali y in his
aspec o CSOs as well. Howe e , inancial (and well as physical esou ces) capaci y was iden-
i ied only o he adop ion o adical inno a ions. CSOs, like o he g ass oo s membe ship
associa ions, ha e been known o do wha hey can wi h he pe sonnel hey ha e a ailable.
Howe e , he indings sugges ha adical inno a ions, which may equi e no jus a bigge
in es men in knowledge (c . Hoebe e al.,2015) bu also inances, a e ci cumsc ibed by his
dimension. The indings also sugges ha CSOs may inno a e wi hin hei capaci y o do so,
pa icula ly wi h ega d o human esou ces and inances.
A numbe o en i onmen al condi ions o inno a ion in he nonp o i CSOs we e
iden i ied, wi h some a ia ion be ween adical and inc emen al. A ma ke oppo uni y o
he club was indica ed as an impo an d i e o bo h deg ees o inno a ion, e en hough
club g ow h was no an inno a ion goal o CSOs engaging in inc emen al inno a ions.
They may ha e ealized his oppo uni y as hey d ew on knowledge om o he clubs
and pe cei ed ha hey would be mo e “ou he e” by adop ing p ac ices ha o he CSOs
had been using. No ably, compe i ion in he spo club en i onmen was iden i ied as a
d i e o inc emen al inno a ion only, and again pe haps su p isingly as hei goals o
inno a ion we e imp o ed o club managemen and pa icipan de elopmen . Again,
when d awing new ideas om ou side he club, a pe cep ion o wha o he s we e doing in
he same domain may ha e p omp ed a sense o compe i ion o a leas s ay in he game.
Compe i ion is no inna e o nonp o i o ganiza ions (e.g., S ensson e al.,2020); howe e ,
i is being examined pa icula ly in he con ex o CSOs (e.g., Rossi e al.,2024) and may
inc easingly be a d i e o inno a ion, as well as adicalness o hese nonp o i s.
A mo e comple e in es iga ion o he “chain o inno a ion”, pa icula ly ega ding
adicalness, is missing (Damanpou ,2020), and ou s udy add esses his gap by also epo -
ing a leas a small con as be ween decision making o adical compa ed o inc emen al
inno a ions. As pe haps expec ed, gi en he magni ude o he espec i e inno a ions,
decision making was exclusi ely a o mal p ocess o adical changes, in ol ing he boa d
mos commonly bu also he ull club in some CSOs. This may be a unc ion o he iskiness
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 37 17 o 21
o adical inno a ion, which may be empe ed by he o mali y o he decision p ocess, as
well as he us o membe s in an idea champion who ca ied he idea h ough. In con as ,
some inc emen al inno a ions we e decided on mo e in o mally and e en h ough casual
discussion. This oo wa an s u he in es iga ion o de e mine whe he he o mali y o
decision making aligns wi h he con inuum o adicalness, wi h implica ions o managing
hose decisions.
I was encou aging o see he posi i e impac o he clubs ha implemen ed adical
and inc emen al inno a ions, al hough we no e below ha his may e lec a limi a ion o
he s udy. None heless, wha may be mos in e es ing was he e idence o unan icipa ed,
posi i e consequences o he CSOs’ inno a ions, wi h many mo e examples gi en o
he adical han inc emen al changes implemen ed. The indings sugges ha he e is
mo e o a ipple e ec wi h he majo changes in he CSOs, including an appe i e o s ill
u he de elopmen .
6.1. Implica ions o Theo y and P ac ice
Ou indings make se e al con ibu ions o inno a ion heo y, pa icula ly he concep
o adicalness. The ocus on CSOs, a ype o nonp o i g ass oo s membe ship associa ion,
p o ides insigh o he ypes, awa eness o new knowledge, in en , condi ions, decision
making, and consequences o adical e sus inc emen al inno a ions ha may be ound
in his con ex . The speci ic indings may no be gene alizable beyond he con ex o he
14 On a io CSOs we s udied; howe e , ou obse a ions highligh new insigh s conce ning
adicalness ha may be explo ed u he in a b oade sample o CSOs and in simila ypes
o nonp o i g ass oo s membe ship associa ions (e.g., a s g oups, cul u al associa ions,
and ec ea ion clubs).
Ou indings sugges ha adical inno a ions a e mo e likely o be echnical han
adminis a i e in ype bu no exclusi ely. Se e al examples o adical adminis a i e
changes o o ganiza ional s uc u e and ope a ions we e conside ed o be o g ea mag-
ni ude. Economic-based inno a ions ocused on compe i ion-weal h in ela ion o he
ma ke place, and speci ically, club membe ship g ow h in he cu en s udy may end o be
mo e adical han inc emen al in simila con ex s, pe haps gi en hei ou wa d ocus and a
pe cei ed need o bigge and e en iskie change o a ac new membe s. Radicalness
o inno a ions may be dis inguished by who b ings he ideas o a decision making le el
and whe he he new knowledge is adap ed o adop ed di ec ly. Radical inno a ions in he
cu en s udy we e b ough o wa d by membe s h oughou he o ganiza ion and we e
exclusi ely adap ed o he con ex and capaci y o he CSO. In con as , mo e inc emen al
inno a ions we e iden i ied by he boa d and we e adap ed and adop ed in equal measu e.
Radicalness o he inno a ions desc ibed by he CSOs a ied in he condi ions d i ing
(o impeding) he magni ude o changes, wi h adical inno a ions suppo ed uniquely by
a boa d’s ocus on he bigge pic u e (success, su i al), willingness o ake isks, expe -
ise, champions, and capaci y. Ou indings sugges ha hese condi ions exis along a
con inuum ha pa allels adicalness.
The indings ex end ou unde s anding o inno a ion in CSOs as an impo an and
aluable mechanism o inc easing hei capaci y o achie e hei spo de elopmen goals.
Resea ch o da e sugges s ha hese nonp o i g ass oo s membe ship associa ions a e
clea ly mo ing beyond adi ional ways o deli e ing spo , and he clubs we s udied
we e adop ing p og ams and p ac ices ha ep esen bo h inc emen al and mo e adical
changes. Radical changes ended o be a ound he g ow h and u he de elopmen o
he club in gene al, while a hle e de elopmen ended o be associa ed wi h inc emen al
changes, all implied in he deg ees o change. The con inuum o adicalness unco e ed
he e, and associa ed condi ions, may p o ide a pla o m o help he CSOs in ou s udy,
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 37 18 o 21
and simila g ass oo s nonp o i membe ship associa ions, na iga e a ange o inno a ions
in hei con ex . Fu he , egional, p o incial, and na ional spo go e ning bodies ha
di ec spo policy and s a egy o CSOs wi h he in en ion o guiding a ious changes
a he communi y spo le el (e.g., in oduc ion o disabili y spo , changes o coaching
de elopmen , and sa e spo p ac ices) should be awa e o wha CSOs conside o be
inno a i e, as well as how hey p ocess inno a ion. Ou esea ch highligh s wha may be
impo an conside a ions o he success ul adop ion o change ha is conside ed inno a i e
and adical o CSOs. Addi ional suppo om hose go e ning bodies may be equi ed.
Impo an conside a ions o CSOs and s akeholde s may include he possibili y ha idea
champions who can push a adical idea h ough o implemen a ion a e c i ical and may be
ound anywhe e in he club, al hough hey a e likely a skilled, expe ienced, and espec ed
indi idual; he impe us and ideas o inno a e can come om wi hin and beyond he club;
capaci y ba ie s o inno a ion mus be acknowledged and add essed be o e adop ion, and
exis ing capaci y s eng hs ha a e undamen al o success ul inno a ion adop ion should
also be ecognized and le e aged. Radical, and seemingly o a lesse ex en , inc emen al
inno a ions may elici unan icipa ed consequences ha CSOs should be p epa ed o in
o de o capi alize on hose (o en) bonus ou comes. These indings ha e implica ions o
CSOs o be awa e o he seemingly g ea e po en ial o adical inno a ions o elici o he
changes, as well as o be eady o hose, especially as some may be inc emen al and subjec
o any o he condi ions ou lined in his s udy and e en adical and elian on he pa icula
condi ions associa ed wi h he upda e o ha magni ude o change.
6.2. Limi a ions and Di ec ions o Fu u e Resea ch
We aimed o coun e a possible p o-inno a ion bias in a o o inno a ion as a posi i e
o ganiza ional p ac ice (Roge s,2003) by unco e ing CSOs’ ac ual expe iences a he han
b oade ma ke pe cep ions o wha is adical o e en inno a i e. Howe e , we only spoke
wi h leade s o clubs ha had success ully implemen ed, o we e se o implemen , adical
and inc emen al inno a ions, and hus, ou sample was limi ed o clubs ha we e able
o mo e o wa d wi h bo h. The sample was in en ionally delimi ed o nonp o i CSOs
ha had expe ience wi h bo h o ms o inno a ion in o de o help pa icipan s dis inguish
be ween and desc ibe adical and inc emen al p ac ices, which was he in en o he s udy.
Building on his in es iga ion, u u e esea ch should explo e a g ea e ange o CSO
expe iences including clubs ha p io i ize one ype o inno a ion o e he o he , hose ha
ejec inno a ion al oge he , and hose ha ail o adop o implemen ei he ype.
Gi en he in es men associa ed wi h adical inno a ion in CSOs (by he boa d,
membe s, and some imes in pa ne ship wi h o he o ganiza ions) and he unin ended bu
gene ally posi i e ou comes expe ienced, longi udinal quali a i e s udy designs ha ollow
adical inno a ions o e ime would be in o ma i e. These include pa icipa o y ac ion
esea ch, ac ion esea ch, and/o e hnog aphy ha may be bes se ed by esea che s being
closely aligned wi h o pe haps e en embedded in o ganiza ions o be able o obse e and
ollow he inno a ion p ocess. Unde s anding he adicalness o inno a ion in CSOs may
also be ex ended wi h ield su ey esea ch ha aims o quan i a i ely e i y he hemes
iden i ied in he cu en s udy, and in subsequen wo k, e i y hese hemes in a b oade
sample o clubs and ac oss di e en cul u al, legal, and inancial con ex s.
Building on he wo k o Delshab e al. (2022) and Wemme e al. (2016) in he CSO
con ex , he phenomenon o open inno a ion and coope i ion may be explo ed wi h espec
o adical inno a ion (o he con inuum o adicalness). These a e in iguing p ac ices in
he con ex o nonp o i spo and o he o ganiza ions and may cons i u e e y e ec i e
app oaches o g ow h and pe o mance. Resea ch can unpack he ypes, condi ions, p ocess,
and consequences o hese app oaches wi h espec o adical inno a ion.
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 37 19 o 21
Finally, and pe haps mos impo an ly as i has been a heme h oughou his dis-
cussion, schola s should aim o examine and be e unde s and mo e nuanced deg ees o
adicalness along i s con inuum, as well as he co esponding ypes, condi ions, p ocess,
and consequences o le els o adicalness, beyond he dicho omy o adical and inc e-
men al. The indings o his s udy illumina e se e al aspec s o inno a ion ha sugges
o ganiza ions may expe ience di e en le els o adicalness and may be limi ed o less
adical inno a ions han hey would like. Unpacking adicalness u he can p o ide a
pla o m o he e ec i e managemen o his aspec o con empo a y nonp o i s and CSOs.
Au ho Con ibu ions: Concep ualiza ion, L.H., A.D., O.H. and R.W.; me hodology, L.H., A.D., O.H.
and R.W.; o mal analysis, A.D., K.A.M., L.H., O.H. and R.W.; in es iga ion, K.A.M.; w i ing—o iginal
d a p epa a ion, A.D.; w i ing— e iew and edi ing, L.H., O.H., K.A.M. and R.W.; isualiza ion,
O.H.; supe ision, A.D.; p ojec adminis a ion, L.H. and A.D.; unding acquisi ion, L.H., A.D., O.H.
and R.W. All au ho s ha e ead and ag eed o he published e sion o he manusc ip .
Funding: This esea ch was unded by he Social Sciences and Humani ies Resea ch Council o
Canada (862-0003-2010).
Ins i u ional Re iew Boa d S a emen : The s udy was conduc ed in acco dance wi h he T i-Council
Policy S a emen 2 and app o ed by he Resea ch E hics Boa ds o he Uni e si y o Regina (82R1213)
and Wes e n Uni e si y (102950).
In o med Consen S a emen : In o med consen was ob ained om all pa icipan s in ol ed in
he s udy.
Da a A ailabili y S a emen : The pa icipan s o his s udy did no gi e consen o hei da a o be
sha ed publicly. Due o he sensi i e na u e o he esea ch, suppo ing da a a e no a ailable.
Con lic s o In e es : The au ho s decla e no con lic o in e es .
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Disclaime /Publishe ’s No e: The s a emen s, opinions and da a con ained in all publica ions a e solely hose o he indi idual
au ho (s) and con ibu o (s) and no o MDPI and/o he edi o (s). MDPI and/o he edi o (s) disclaim esponsibili y o any inju y o
people o p ope y esul ing om any ideas, me hods, ins uc ions o p oduc s e e ed o in he con en .
