Innovation in sport medicine and science: a global social network analysis of stakeholder collaboration in rugby union
Objectives To investigate the network of stakeholders involved in rugby union research across the globe.Methods Using author affiliations listed on scientific publications, we identified the organisations that contributed to rugby union research from 1977 to 2022 and examine collaboration through co...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMJ Publishing Group
2024-03-01
|
| Series: | BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopensem.bmj.com/content/10/1/e001559.full |
| _version_ | 1827146341956976640 |
|---|---|
| author | Ben Jones Sharief Hendricks Natalie R Erskine Faatiema Salie |
| author_facet | Ben Jones Sharief Hendricks Natalie R Erskine Faatiema Salie |
| author_sort | Ben Jones |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives To investigate the network of stakeholders involved in rugby union research across the globe.Methods Using author affiliations listed on scientific publications, we identified the organisations that contributed to rugby union research from 1977 to 2022 and examine collaboration through coauthorship indicators. We determined the locations and sectors of identified organisations and constructed a collaboration network. Network metrics, including degree centrality and betweenness centrality, are computed to identify influential organisations and measure intersector collaboration.Results There is an increase in scientific knowledge creation and collaboration between organisations for rugby union research over time. Among the sectors, the university, professional sports team and sports governing body sectors exhibit the highest intersectoral and intrasectoral density. Predominantly, influential actors are located in England, Australia, France, New Zealand, Ireland and South Africa. Australian Catholic University, Leeds Beckett University, Stellenbosch University, Swansea University, University College London and the University of Cape Town emerge as influential actors between 2016 and 2022.Conclusions Our study underscores the ongoing growth of scientific knowledge generation in rugby union, primarily led by organisations in tier 1 rugby-playing nations within the university sector. Intersectoral collaboration with sports governing bodies plays a crucial role, acting as a broker between sectors. However, the overall collaboration landscape between and within sectors is low. These results highlight an opportunity for improved collaboration opportunities, as the organisations driving knowledge creation have been identified. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T13:08:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b16b0de3023d4b479c9600fab21b444b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2055-7647 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-03-20T20:28:58Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-b16b0de3023d4b479c9600fab21b444b2024-08-17T08:35:10ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine2055-76472024-03-0110110.1136/bmjsem-2023-001559Innovation in sport medicine and science: a global social network analysis of stakeholder collaboration in rugby unionBen Jones0Sharief Hendricks1Natalie R Erskine2Faatiema Salie34 England Performance Unit, Rugby Football League, Manchester, UKCarnegie Applied Rugby Research (CARR) centre, Leeds Beckett University School of Sport, Leeds, UKDivision of Physiological Sciences and Health through Physical Activity, Lifestyle and Sport Research Centre (HPALS), Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Western Cape, South AfricaDepartment of Industrial Engineering, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South AfricaObjectives To investigate the network of stakeholders involved in rugby union research across the globe.Methods Using author affiliations listed on scientific publications, we identified the organisations that contributed to rugby union research from 1977 to 2022 and examine collaboration through coauthorship indicators. We determined the locations and sectors of identified organisations and constructed a collaboration network. Network metrics, including degree centrality and betweenness centrality, are computed to identify influential organisations and measure intersector collaboration.Results There is an increase in scientific knowledge creation and collaboration between organisations for rugby union research over time. Among the sectors, the university, professional sports team and sports governing body sectors exhibit the highest intersectoral and intrasectoral density. Predominantly, influential actors are located in England, Australia, France, New Zealand, Ireland and South Africa. Australian Catholic University, Leeds Beckett University, Stellenbosch University, Swansea University, University College London and the University of Cape Town emerge as influential actors between 2016 and 2022.Conclusions Our study underscores the ongoing growth of scientific knowledge generation in rugby union, primarily led by organisations in tier 1 rugby-playing nations within the university sector. Intersectoral collaboration with sports governing bodies plays a crucial role, acting as a broker between sectors. However, the overall collaboration landscape between and within sectors is low. These results highlight an opportunity for improved collaboration opportunities, as the organisations driving knowledge creation have been identified.https://bmjopensem.bmj.com/content/10/1/e001559.full |
| spellingShingle | Ben Jones Sharief Hendricks Natalie R Erskine Faatiema Salie Innovation in sport medicine and science: a global social network analysis of stakeholder collaboration in rugby union BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine |
| title | Innovation in sport medicine and science: a global social network analysis of stakeholder collaboration in rugby union |
| title_full | Innovation in sport medicine and science: a global social network analysis of stakeholder collaboration in rugby union |
| title_fullStr | Innovation in sport medicine and science: a global social network analysis of stakeholder collaboration in rugby union |
| title_full_unstemmed | Innovation in sport medicine and science: a global social network analysis of stakeholder collaboration in rugby union |
| title_short | Innovation in sport medicine and science: a global social network analysis of stakeholder collaboration in rugby union |
| title_sort | innovation in sport medicine and science a global social network analysis of stakeholder collaboration in rugby union |
| url | https://bmjopensem.bmj.com/content/10/1/e001559.full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT benjones innovationinsportmedicineandscienceaglobalsocialnetworkanalysisofstakeholdercollaborationinrugbyunion AT shariefhendricks innovationinsportmedicineandscienceaglobalsocialnetworkanalysisofstakeholdercollaborationinrugbyunion AT nataliererskine innovationinsportmedicineandscienceaglobalsocialnetworkanalysisofstakeholdercollaborationinrugbyunion AT faatiemasalie innovationinsportmedicineandscienceaglobalsocialnetworkanalysisofstakeholdercollaborationinrugbyunion |