Systems thinking and complexity science in sport policy: A scoping review of the research

Abstract

Systems thinking and complexity science have expanded in recent years within sport policy research, particularly in the examination of physical activity policies. This trend is based on a growing recognition of the complex nature of sport and sport policies, which calls for new theories and methods of analysis. To provide an overall picture of the current state of the research, we conducted a scoping review guided by the following research questions: What type of research has been conducted using systems approach in sport policy? What are the primary benefits and challenges regarding the use of systems approach reported in the study findings? Data were collected from the EBSCOhost, PubMed, and Scopus databases and reported in accordance with PRISMA-ScR. Following the search, 19 articles were included. We found that the use of systems approaches in sport policy is rare, although it represents an emerging field of research. The findings confirmed that physical activity promotion emerged as the main focus area, whereas studies on organised sport were scarce. The results underscore the potential of incorporating systems approach into future sport policy research. However, there is a need to carefully evaluate both the opportunities and potential pitfalls associated with this approach. By doing so, researchers may contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the sport policy system.