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Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to apply principles from formal organizations to sport, with particular focus given to intercollegiate football. From a modified case study approach in which a reliable and knowledgeable informant was interviewed, the investigation utilizes concepts pertinent to complex organizations in an attempt to answer the question: What makes a football team successful, besides the physical ability of the players. Five dimensions of organizational structure were discussed in reference to information obtained from interviews. Elements of these five dimen sions (activity and person specialization, standardization, formalization, centralization, and configuration) were grouped in three general conceptual categories of organiza tional theory: technology, role enactment, and environmental contingencies. Utilization of formal organization concepts represents a means of analyzing the dynamics in sport as well as presenting a potential avenue for theory construction.

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Intercollegiate Football: An Approach Toward Rationalization

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