A critical analysis and strategic framework for research in sport and exercise medicine at the University of the Free State
| dc.contributor.advisor | Van Zyl, G. J. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Holtzhausen, Louis Johannes | |
| dc.contributor.other | Nel, M. M. | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2015-08-31T07:27:48Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2015-08-31T07:27:48Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2012-06 | |
| dc.description.abstract | English: This research comprises an in-depth study to construct a strategic framework for research in Sport and Exercise Medicine at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, South Africa. Sport and Exercise Medicine (SEM) is a young academic discipline in South Africa. Internationally, the status, training, research and level of service delivery in SEM are spread out over a broad spectrum, from a well established and highly specialised medical specialty in certain countries, down to relative obscurity with lack of recognition in mainstream medicine and without specialty status in others. Research is the ideal focus area which will advance the status and recognition of SEM in South Africa and elsewhere, as well as increase the evidence base for SEM, both locally and internationally. A need for relevant research in SEM in South Africa has been recognized. The University of the Free State (UFS) has a young SEM programme, which needs to grow and gain local, national and, eventually, international recognition to make a meaningful contribution to the discipline of SEM. Furthermore, the UFS has embarked on a journey to increase its research outputs and status considerably over the next five to ten years. These conditions provide a golden opportunity to establish a research programme of excellence in SEM at the UFS. Against this background, the problem that was addressed is a lack of co-ordinated, publishable research in the Sport and Exercise Medicine (SEM) disciplines at the UFS, despite many opportunities that are presented. In addition, a relative need for strategic research planning in sport sciences in South Africa and internationally has been recognized. The overall goal of the study was therefore to facilitate high quality, published research in SEM with the view to improve the scientific grounding of the discipline. In order to achieve this goal, the specific aim of the study was to do a critical situation-based analysis of Sport and Exercise Medicine and relevant factors in research and research management, with the view to compile a strategic framework for the development of a research programme in SEM at the UFS. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were utilised in the study and used in complementary fashion. The methods comprised a literature review, semi-structured interviews and a Delphi survey to determine the key components of the eventual strategic framework. All respondents in the empirical part of the study gave informed consent to participate. Pre-testing of the interview guide and the Delphi questionnaire were done by means of pilot studies. These processes were followed to ensure scientific validity, reliability and trustworthiness of the study. The literature review provided relevant insights into aspects of SEM and SEM research; leadership, management and strategic planning; academic research management; principles of research; as well as strategies and policies influencing research at the UFS. With the literature review as foundation, semi-structured interviews were conducted with current academic role players in SEM at the UFS, as well as with research managers at the UFS, to investigate the practical applications of theory and policy in research at the UFS, to identify challenges in research at the UFS, and to obtain the views of current role players on aspects of a multidisciplinary research framework in SEM at the UFS. Thirteen participants were selected for the semi-structured interviews by means of purposive and sequential sampling methods. The questions in the semi-structured interviews comprised seven categories, namely the status, role and place of SEM at the UFS; stakeholders in SEM research; research strategy; challenges in research; skills, knowledge and status of researchers and research leaders; suggested components of a strategic framework in SEM research; and an open category which invited any further relevant comments. Due to their semi-structured nature, the data obtained from interviews were mostly qualitative, but with quantitative elements. The results of the semi-structured interviews were categorised, analysed and collated in tables. These results were used in the context of the literature review, to construct a Delphi questionnaire which was used in a Delphi process with a panel of national and international experts in SEM research and in research management. The Delphi technique is a method for the collection of opinion on a particular topic, particularly the opinions of experts on the topic at hand. It was therefore chosen as an appropriate tool to test the results of interviews with local experts as interpreted according to the literature, on a panel of experts. The participants in the Delphi process were carefully selected to include national and international experts in SEM education and research, as well as policy-makers, leaders and managers in research. The selected international experts were globally representative. The panel consisted of ten experts. The Delphi questionnaire was constructed in accordance with the semi-structured interviews, but categorised in the sequence of the program logic model of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, on which the final strategic framework was developed. The categories comprised strategic foundations of a research framework in SEM; the role, place and character of research in SEM at a university; inputs and processes required, challenges expected and outputs envisaged; as well as the expected impact or significance of a research programme in SEM at the UFS and possible ways to measure the progress of the programme. The results of the Delphi survey were analysed and the findings presented and discussed. The final outcome of the study, a strategic framework for research in SEM at the UFS, was created by triangulation of the critical analysis of SEM research and other relevant themes in the literature review, the results of the semi-structured interviews, and the results of the Delphi survey. In the final product, the premises, principles, points of departure and required resources for the development of a strategic framework for a research programme in SEM at the UFS were presented. Detailed formulations of inputs, processes and outputs of the programme were put forward, to culminate in a sustainable research programme. In conclusion of the study, final conclusions were drawn, limitations of the study addressed and recommendations made. The researcher believes that this study will make a unique contribution to the research, further development, and ultimately the status of Sport and Exercise Medicine at the University of the Free State and in South Africa. The challenges identified in the study and the complexities of research development have not gone unnoticed. These challenges will be addressed with passion and determination towards the attainment of the ultimate goal which inspired the study. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | Afrikaans: Die navorsing behels 'n diepgaande studie met die doel om n strategiese raamwerk vir navorsing in sport- en oefeningsgeneeskunde aan die Universiteit van die Vrystaat in Bloemfontein, Suid-Afrika te konstrueer. Sport- en oefeningsgeneeskunde (SEM) is 'n jong akademiese dissipline in Suid-Afrika. In die internasionale arena is die status, opleiding, navorsing en vlak van dienslewering oor 'n breë spektrum versprei – van 'n goed gevestigde, hoogs gespesialiseerde spesialiteitsrigting in sekere lande tot relatiewe gebrek aan erkenning as vakgebied in hoofstroom geneeskunde sonder spesialisstatus elders. Navorsing is by uitstek die fokusarea wat die status en erkenning van SEM in Suid-Afrika en elders sal bevorder. Dit sal ook die bewysbasis vir kliniese sport- en oefeningsgeneeskunde op nasionale en internasionale vlak verbreed. Die behoefte aan toepaslike navorsing in SEM is in Suid-Afrika geïdentifiseer. Die Universiteit van die Vrystaat (UV) beskik oor „n jong SEM-program wat sal moet groei om plaaslike, nasionale en uiteindelik internasionale erkenning te verwerf, ten einde 'n betekenisvolle bydrae te lewer tot die vakgebied. Die UV het voorts 'n doelwit gestel om sy navorsingsuitsette en –status aansienlik oor die volgende vyf tot tien jaar te verbeter. Hierdie omstandighede skep 'n gulde geleentheid vir die vestiging van 'n uitnemende navorsingsprogram in SEM aan die UV. Teen hierdie agtergrond is die probleem wat in die studie aangeroer is 'n gebrek aan gekoördineerde, publiseerbare navorsing in SEM en verwante dissiplines aan die UV, ten spyte van baie geleenthede daarvoor. Daarmee saam is 'n relatiewe gebrek aan strategiese navorsingsbeplanning in sportwetenskappe in Suid-Afrika geïdentifiseer. Die algehele doelwit van die studie was dus om gepubliseerde navorsing van hoë gehalte in SEM te bevorder, om sodoende die wetenskaplike begronding van die vakgebied te verbeter. Ten einde hierdie doelwit te bereik was die spesifieke doel van die studie om „n kritiese, omgewingsgebaseerde analise van SEM en relevante faktore in navorsing en navorsingsbestuur te doen, om uiteindelik 'n strategiese raamwerk vir 'n navorsingsprogram in SEM aan die UV daar te stel. Kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe navorsingsmetodiek is aanvullend in die studie gebruik. Die metodiek het 'n literatuuroorsig, semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude en „n Delphi-opname behels om die hoofkomponente van die uiteindelike strategiese raamwerk te bepaal. Alle respondente in die empiriese gedeelte van die studie het ingeligte toestemming gegee om deel te neem. Loodsstudies is gedoen om beide die onderhoudsgids en die Delphi-vraelys vooraf te toets, ten einde die wetenskaplike betroubaarheid, grondigheid en beproefdheid van die studie te verseker. Die literatuuroorsig het relevante inligting en insigte oor aspekte van SEM en SEM navorsing; leierskap, bestuur en strategiese beplanning; akademiese navorsingsbestuur; beginsels van navorsing; sowel as strategieë en beleide wat navorsing aan die UV beïnvloed, voorsien. Die literatuuroorsig is as basis gebruik om semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met huidige akademiese rolspelers in SEM, sowel as met navorsingsbestuurders aan die UV te voer. Die onderhoude is gebruik om die praktiese toepassing van teorie en navorsingsbeleide, uitdagings in navorsing, en die sienswyses van huidige rolspelers oor aspekte van interdissiplinêre navorsing in SEM aan die UV te ondersoek. Dertien deelnemers is vir die semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude gekies deur middel van doelmatige en sekwensiële steekproefneming. Die vrae in die semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude het uit sewe kategorieë bestaan, by name die status, rol en plasing van SEM aan die UV; rolspelers in SEM-navorsing; navorsingstrategie; uitdagings in navorsing; kundigheid, vaardighede en status van navorsers en navorsingsleiers; voorgestelde komponente van 'n strategiese raamwerk in SEM aan die UV; sowel as 'n oop kategorie wat 'n uitnodiging gerig het vir enige verdere relevante kommentaar. As gevolg van die semi-gestruktureerde aard van die onderhoude was die data wat verkry is van kwalitatiewe aard, maar met kwantitatiewe elemente. Die resultate van die semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude is gekategoriseer, geanaliseer en in tabelle opgeteken. Die resultate is voorts in konteks van die literatuurstudie gebruik, om 'n Delphi-vraelys te konstrueer wat gebruik is in 'n Delphi-opname onder 'n paneel van nasionale en internasionale kenners in SEM-navorsing en navorsingsbestuur. Die Delphi-tegniek is 'n metode om 'n meningsopname oor 'n bepaalde onderwerp te doen en is veral geskik om die menings van kenners op 'n betrokke gebied te bepaal. Die tegniek was dus geskik om die resultate van die onderhoude met plaaslike kenners, soos geïnterpreteer aan die hand van die literatuur, onder 'n paneel van kenners te toets. Die deelnemers aan die Delphi-opname is noukeurig selekteer om nasionale en internasionale kenners in SEM-opleiding en -navorsing, sowel as beleidmakers, leiers en bestuurders in navorsing in te sluit. Die geselekteerde internasionale deelnemers was globaal verteenwoordigend. Die paneel het uit tien kenners bestaan. Die Delphi-vraelys is soortgelyk as die semi-gestruktureerde onderhoudegekonstrueer, maar gekategoriseer volgens die “program logic model” van die W.K. Kellogg-stigting, waarvolgens die strategiese raamwerk ontwikkel is. Die kategorieë het bestaan uit strategiese vertrekpunte van 'n navorsingsraamwerk in SEM; die rol, plasing en karakter van navorsing in SEM aan 'n universiteit; benodigde insette en prosesse, verwagte uitdagings en voorsiene uitsette; sowel as die verwagte impak of beduidendheid van 'n navorsingsprogram in SEM aan die UV en moontlike metodes om vordering van die program te meet. Die resultate van die Delphi-opname is geanaliseer en die bevindings aangebied en bespreek. Die finale uitkoms van die studie, 'n strategiese raamwerk vir navorsing in SEM aan die UV, is geskep deur triangulering van die kritiese analise van SEM-navorsing en ander relevante temas in die literatuuroorsig, die resultate van die semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude en die Delphi-opname. In die finale produk is die vertrekpunte, grondbeginsels en vereiste hulpbronne vir die ontwikkeling van 'n navorsingsprogram in SEM aan die UV aangebied. Gedetailleerde formulering van insette, prosesse en uitkomste van die program is voorgelê om uiteindelik uit te kom by 'n volhoubare navorsingsprogram. Ter samevatting van die studie is die finale gevolgtrekkings aangebied, beperkings van die studie bespreek en aanbevelings gemaak. Die navorser is van mening dat die studie 'n unieke bydrae sal lewer tot die navorsing, verdere ontwikkeling en uiteindelik die status van sport- en oefeningsgeneeskunde aan die Universiteit van die Vrystaat en in Suid-Afrika. Die uitdagings wat in die studie geïdentifiseer is en die ingewikkeldheid van navorsingsontwikkeling is van kennis geneem. Hierdie uitdagings sal met passie en doelgerigtheid tegemoet gegaan word ter bereiking van die uiteindelike doelwit wat die studie geïnspireer het. | af |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11660/1090 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | University of the Free State | en_ZA |
| dc.rights.holder | University of the Free State | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Thesis (Ph.D. (Health Professions Education))--University of the Free State, 2012. | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Sports medicine | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Physical education and training | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Qualitative and quantitative approach | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Strategic framework | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Sport and Exercise Medicine | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Semi-structured interviews | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Research programme | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Research management | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Multidisciplinary | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Delphi process | en_ZA |
| dc.title | A critical analysis and strategic framework for research in sport and exercise medicine at the University of the Free State | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_ZA |