Managing and sustaining cross-sector leveraging partnership in the post-event era: a case study of a provincial parasport collective

Research question: Prior research has produced insight into the formation and collaborative dynamics of event leveraging-related partnerships in the pre- and during- Games stages. However, less is known about the evolution of these partnerships in the post-event era. This study aims to examine a post-games iteration of a cross-sector leveraging partnership group: the Provincial Parasport Collective (PPC). Specifically, this study focuses on investigating (1) factors contributing to post-event collaboration; (2) strategies, structures, and leadership mechanisms for the collaboration process; (3) and challenges PPC partners encountered in the post-event era. Research methods: Core data include (1) organizational archival documents related to PPC's practices, strategies, and structures from 2016 to 2020, and (2) eight first-hand interviews with key representatives of the PPC. Results and findings: Results show that the PPC's ongoing collaboration was shaped by a combination of institutional field, local community, and organizational levels of conditions. In the collaboration process, the Collective first focused on enhancing mutual understanding among partners, building a collective vision and principles for working together, and engaging in formal planning. In the years following, the Collective devoted effort to formalizing collaborative structures and leadership mechanisms, adding leadership and managerial support, and optimizing communication mechanisms. Despite its progress, the PPC also encountered challenges during the collaboration process, including group size, lack of cross-pillar communication, and changing momentum over time. Implications: We expect that the findings of this study will shed light on cross-sector partnership sustainability and provide practical suggestions about the tactics for supporting ongoing strategic alliances.