Ian O'Boyle

Prof Ian O'Boyle

Professor

School of Management

College of Business and Law

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.

Available For Media Comment.

Ian O'Boyle PhD, GAICD, is a Professor in management and Director of CERM Performance Indicators® at UniSA Business. Professor O'Boyle is a leading researcher in the area of governance, leadership, and performance management focussed within the sporting context, while as Director of CERM Performance Indicators® Professor O'Boyle leads a highly successful applied research venture that focusses on benchmarking and performance management in the sport and leisure industries.
Professor O'Boyle holds a BSc in sport management, a MSc in sport management, a PhD in performance management, and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Professor O'Boyle's current research focusses on collaborative governance, collective leadership, community wellbeing through sport, and organisational performance management. Professor O'Boyle's research has been published in leading international journals including Journal of Sport Management, European Sport Management Quarterly, and Sport Management Review.
Professor O'Boyle is currently the lead Chief Investigator on the Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Project "Social Capital and Connection Outcomes in Community Sport" and has previously led other ARC projects. In recognition of his international reputation for sport governance research, he has been named as a research associate at the renowned Sports Performance Research Institute of New Zealand (SPRINZ). In addition to extensive journal publications, Professor O'Boyle has published research books in the areas of sport governance, leadership, and performance management all with tier one publishing houses. As Director of CERM Performance Indicators®, Professor O'Boyle has been awarded significant external research grant income to conduct industry relevant research in the sport and leisure industries. Professor O'Boyle is consistently rated as a leading teacher within the University of South Australia and he continues to contribute to many of the ongoing successes of UniSA Business including increasing the number of high quality publications within the division and engaging a significant volume of research end-users through his research. 
Professor O'Boyle has engaged with local, national and international industry through his work with state sport organisations, national sport organisations, international governing bodies of sport, and through the extensive list of both private, public, and non-profit sport and leisure entities that are engaged by Professor O'Boyle's work and his leadership of CERM Performance Indicators®. With an international reputation for high quality research, and extensive experience working with some of the leading sport and leisure organisations, Professor O'Boyle brings a mass of expertise in sport management, governance, leadership, and community wellbeing to UniSA Business.  

UniSA Business: Distinguished Researcher Award 2021

UniSA Business School excellence awards: Commendation for research excellence 2019

UniSA Business School excellence awards: Top Mid-Career Researcher 2018

UniSA Business School excellence awards: Achievement in Industry Collaboration - Research 2017

UniSA Business School excellence awards: Top Early-Career Researcher 2015

Year Citation
2025 Takos, N., O'Boyle, I., & Murray, D. (2025). The role of leadership in interpersonal dysfunctional conflict within Australian Football League (AFL) club boards. Sport, Business and Management, 15(2), 161-175.
DOI
2025 Ferkins, L., Shilbury, D., & O'Boyle, I. (2025). Collective leadership in nonprofit sport boards. Sport Management Review, 28(2), 257-281.
DOI
2025 Heckel, L., Karg, A., Eime, R., McDonald, H., & O’Boyle, I. (2025). Physical activity and perceived wellbeing benefits in users of aquatic leisure and recreation centres. Leisure Studies, online, 1-16.
DOI
2025 O'Boyle, I., Ferkins, L., McLeod, J., Shilbury, D., & Heckel, L. (2025). Examining the Impact of Unified Management on Board Roles in Federated Governance Systems: A Study of Golf in Australia. Systems Research and Behavioral Science, online, 1-12.
DOI
2025 O’Boyle, I., Heckel, L., Eime, R., Farmer, J., Karg, A., & Faulkner, E. (2025). Investigating the drivers of pro-social connection infrastructure in community sport. Sport Management Review, online, 1-23.
DOI
2025 McLeod, J., Shilbury, D., Parnell, D., & O'Boyle, I. (2025). Analysing the Australian Football League's (AFL) governance structure: how does it compare to Europe's 'club-run' leagues?. Managing Sport and Leisure, 30(3), 469-486.
DOI
2025 McLeod, J., O'Boyle, I., Shilbury, D., Ferkins, L., & MacIntosh, R. (2025). A 'conditioned emergence' approach to managing systemic change in sport: insights from Golf Australia. European Sport Management Quarterly, 25(2), 278-296.
DOI
2024 Heckel, L., Eime, R., Karg, A., McDonald, H., Yeomans, C., & O'Boyle, I. (2024). A systematic review of the wellbeing benefits of being active through leisure and fitness centres. Leisure Studies, 43(4), 545-561.
DOI Scopus17
2024 O'Boyle, I., Heckel, L., Karg, A., Eime, R., & McDonald, H. (2024). An exploration of management perspectives on wellbeing outcomes in the aquatic and recreation industry. Annals of Leisure Research, 27(4), 560-578.
DOI
2023 Eime, R., Harvey, J., Karg, A., O'Boyle, I., Heckel, L., Charity, M., & Westerbeek, H. (2023). Motivations to be active in club-based sport compared to fitness centres. Managing Sport and Leisure, online, 1-18.
DOI Scopus9
2023 O'Boyle, I., Shilbury, D., & Ferkins, L. (2023). Leadership in and out of the sport boardroom: new empirical insights. European Sport Management Quarterly, 23(1), 188-206.
DOI
2022 Hassan, D., Takos, N., & O'Boyle, I. (2022). Modernising sport governance amid cultural constraints: a case study from Ireland. Sport in Society, 25(10), 1957-1967.
DOI
2020 Shilbury, D., O'Boyle, I., & Ferkins, L. (2020). Examining collective board leadership and collaborative sport governance. Managing Sport and Leisure, 25(4), 275-289.
DOI
2019 O'Boyle, I., Shilbury, D., & Ferkins, L. (2019). Toward a working model of leadership in nonprofit sport governance. Journal of sport management, 33(3), 189-202.
DOI
2018 Takos, N., Murray, D., & O'Boyle, I. (2018). Authentic leadership in nonprofit sport organization boards. Journal of sport management, 32(2), 109-122.
DOI
2018 O'Boyle, I., & Shilbury, D. (2018). Identifying enablers and barriers: shaping collaborative sport governance theory. World leisure journal, 60(4), 330-352.
DOI
2018 Ferkins, L., Shilbury, D., & O'Boyle, I. (2018). Leadership in governance: exploring collective board leadership in sport governance systems. Sport management review, 23(3), 221-231.
DOI
2018 Ingram, K., & O'Boyle, I. (2018). Sport governance in Australia: questions of board structure and performance. World leisure journal, 60(2), 156-172.
DOI Scopus18 WoS15
2017 Hassan, D., & O'Boyle, I. (2017). Stakeholder governance and Irish sport. Sport in society, 20(5-6), 735-749.
DOI
2016 O'Boyle, I., & Shilbury, D. (2016). Comparing federal and unitary models of sport governance: a case study investigation. Managing sport and leisure, 21(6), 353-374.
DOI
2016 O'Boyle, I., & Shilbury, D. (2016). Exploring issues of trust in collaborative sport governance. Journal of sport management, 30(1), 52-69.
DOI
2016 Shilbury, D., O'Boyle, I., & Ferkins, L. (2016). Towards a research agenda in collaborative sport governance. Sport management review, 19(5), 479-491.
DOI
2015 Bradbury, T., & O'Boyle, I. (2015). Batting above average: governance at New Zealand cricket. Corporate ownership and control, 12(4), 352-363.
DOI
2015 O'Boyle, I., & Hassan, D. (2015). Applying performance management practices within non-profit sport organisations: a case study of New Zealand. International journal of sport management, 16(2), 276-299.
2015 O'Boyle, I., & Hassan, D. (2015). Board composition in federated structures: a case study of the Gaelic Athletic Association. World leisure journal, 58(2), 109-123.
DOI
2015 O'Boyle, I. (2015). Developing a performance management framework for a national sport organisation. Sport management review, 18(2), 308-316.
DOI
2014 Cummins, P., & O'Boyle, I. (2014). Psychosocial factors involved in transitions from college to postcollege careers for male NCAA division-I basketball players. Journal of career development, 28(1), 1-20.
DOI
2014 O'Boyle, I. (2014). Mobilising social media in sport management education. Journal of hospitality, leisure, sport & tourism education, 15, 58-60.
DOI
2014 O'Boyle, I., & Hassan, D. (2014). Performance management and measurement in national-level non-profit sport organisations. European sport management quarterly, 14(3), 299-314.
DOI
2014 Cummins, P. G., & O'Boyle, I. (2014). Leading through others: social identity theory in the organizational setting. Organization development journal, 32(3), 27-39.
2014 O'Boyle, I. (2014). Book review: Governance and Policy in Sport Organizations. Sport Management Review, 17(4), 546-547.
DOI
2014 O'Boyle, I. (2014). Determining best practice in performance monitoring and evaluation of sport coaches: lessons from the traditional business environment. International journal of sports science & coaching, 9(1), 233-246.
DOI
2014 O'Boyle, I. (2014). Book review: The Sports Management Toolkit. Sport Management Review, 18(3), 483-484.
DOI
2013 O'Boyle, I. (2013). Individual performance management: a review of current practices. Asia Pacific Management and Business Application, 1(3), 157-170.
DOI
2013 O'Boyle, I., & Hassan, D. (2013). Organizational performance management: examining the practical utility of the performance prism. Organization development journal, 31(3), 51-58.
2013 O'Boyle, I., & Cummins, P. (2013). Examining theories of individual performance management. Training and management development methods, 27(5), 369-377.
2013 O'Boyle, I. (2013). Traditional performance appraisal versus 360-degree feedback. Training and management development methods, 27(1), 1-7.
2012 O'Boyle, I. (2012). Corporate governance applicability and theories within not-for-profit sports management. Corporate ownership and control, 9(2), 335-342.
DOI
2011 O'Boyle, I. (2011). Performance management and the balanced scorecard in the modern non-profit organisation. Corporate board: role, duties and composition, 7(1), 48-56.
DOI

Year Citation
2023 O'Boyle, I. (2023). Unitary governance. In V. Girginov, & C. Anagnostopoulos (Eds.), Source details - Title: Routledge Resources Online – Sport Studies Freemium (pp. 1-4). UK: Routledge.
DOI
2022 McLeod, J., Ferkins, L., & O'Boyle, I. (2022). Reflecting, prioritising, and energising for a new generation of sport governance research. In D. Shilbury (Ed.), Source details - Title: A Research Agenda for Sport Management (pp. 77-94). UK: Edward Elgar.
DOI
2020 O'Boyle, I. (2020). Leadership in governance: the potential of collective board leadership. In D. Shilbury, & L. Ferkins (Eds.), Source details - Title: Routledge Handbook of Sport Governance (pp. 353-365). US: Routledge.
2020 Meiklejohn, T., & O'Boyle, I. (2020). Integrating regional entities: unitary and collaborative governance. In D. Shilbury, & L. Ferkins (Eds.), Source details - Title: Routledge Handbook of Sport Governance (pp. 296-304). US: Routledge.
2020 O'Boyle, I., & Shilbury, D. (2020). Sport systems, national sport organisations and the governance of sport codes. In D. Shilbury, & L. Ferkins (Eds.), Source details - Title: Routledge Handbook of Sport Governance (pp. 94-106). US: Routledge.
2019 O'Boyle, I., Ferkins, L., & Shilbury, D. (2019). Breaking down barriers: collaboration in sport governance networks. In M. Winand, & C. Anagnostopoulos (Eds.), Source details - Title: Research handbook on sport governance (pp. 216-235). UK: Edward Elgar.
DOI
2019 Meiklejohn, T., O'Boyle, I., & Ferkins, L. (2019). Sports governance models around the world. In J. Maguire, M. Falcous, & K. Liston (Eds.), Source details - Title: The business and culture of sports: society, politics, economy, environment (pp. 353-368). US: Macmillan Reference.
2018 Thompson, A. J., O'Boyle, I., & Meany, C. (2018). Sport and social media. In D. Hassan (Ed.), Source details - Title: Managing sport business: an introduction (2nd ed. ed., pp. 628-647). UK: Routledge.
2017 O'Boyle, I., & Bradbury, T. (2017). The continuing evolution of sport management. In T. Bradbury, & I. O'Boyle (Eds.), Source details - Title: Understanding sport management: international perspectives (pp. 242-249). US: Routledge.
2017 O'Boyle, I. (2017). Sport governance. In T. Bradbury, & I. O'Boyle (Eds.), Source details - Title: Understanding sport management: international perspectives (pp. 135-146). US: Routledge.
2017 O'Boyle, I. (2017). Strategic management in non-profit sport. In T. Bradbury, & I. O'Boyle (Eds.), Source details - Title: Understanding sport management: international perspectives (pp. 109-121). US: Routledge.
2017 O'Boyle, I., & Bradbury, T. (2017). The new sport management environment. In T. Bradbury, & I. O'Boyle (Eds.), Source details - Title: Understanding sport management: international perspectives (pp. 16-21). US: Routledge.
2015 Takos, N., O'Boyle, I., & Murray, D. (2015). The future: trends and challenges in sport leadership. In D. Murray, I. O'Boyle, & C. P. Duncan (Eds.), Source details - Title: Leadership in Sport (pp. 240-247). UK: Routledge.
2015 O'Boyle, I. (2015). Facilitative leadership in sport management. In I. O'Boyle, D. Murray, & P. Cummins (Eds.), Source details - Title: Leadership in sport (pp. 81-94). UK: Routledge.
2015 O'Boyle, I., Cummins, P., & Murray, D. (2015). Framing leadership in sport. In M. O'Boyle, & C. P. Duncan (Eds.), Source details - Title: Leadership in Sport (pp. 1-6). UK: Routledge.
2013 Feeney, R., O'Boyle, I., & Cummins, P. (2013). Ireland. In I. O'Boyle, & T. Bradbury (Eds.), Source details - Title: Sport governance: international case studies (pp. 199-211). UK: Routledge.
2013 Bradbury, T., & O'Boyle, I. (2013). The future: trends and challenges in sport governance. In I. O'Boyle, & T. Bradbury (Eds.), Source details - Title: Sport governance: international case studies (pp. 277-288). UK: Routledge.
2013 O'Boyle, I., & Bradbury, T. (2013). Current issues in modern sport governance. In I. O'Boyle, & T. Bradbury (Eds.), Source details - Title: Sport governance: international case studies (pp. 7-19). UK: Routledge.
2013 O'Boyle, I., & Bradbury, T. (2013). Introduction - Sport Governance : International Case Studies. In I. O'Boyle, & T. Bradbury (Eds.), Source details - Title: Sport Governance : International Case Studies (pp. 1-6). UK: Routledge.
2012 O'Boyle, I. (2012). Performance management in sport organisations. In S. Leberman, C. Collins, & L. Trenberth (Eds.), Source details - Title: Sport business management in New Zealand and Australia (3 ed., pp. 363-377). South Melbourne, Victoria: Cengage Learning Australia.

  • City of Monash CSQ 2025, City of Monash, 24/03/2025 - 28/02/2026

  • City of Gold Coast CSQs 2024-2025, Gold Coast City Council, 25/09/2024 - 31/12/2025

  • City of Gold Coast CSQs 2025, Gold Coast City Council, 20/10/2025 - 31/12/2025

  • Town of Cambridge (Bold Park) CSQ 2025, Town of Cambridge, 14/02/2025 - 31/12/2025

  • Maribyrnong City Council Aquatic Centre Customer Service Quality 2025, City of Maribyrnong, 04/11/2025 - 31/12/2025

  • CERM PI Operational Benchmarking for Aust & NZ Stadiums 2025, Venues West, 04/09/2025 - 08/12/2025

  • City of Ballarat - Ballarat Aquatic and Lifestyle Centre - CSQ 2025, Ballarat Aquatic Centre, 16/05/2025 - 30/11/2025

  • YMCA Boroondara CSQs 2025, Boroondara YMCA, 24/03/2025 - 30/11/2025

  • SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre CSQ and Social Impact Survey 2025, YMCA Aquatic & Event Services Ltd, 02/04/2025 - 30/11/2025

  • CERM PI Operational Benchmarking for Aust & NZ Stadiums 2024, HBF Park, 25/09/2024 - 04/02/2025

  • YMCA Ku-Ring-Gai Fitness and Aquatic Centre CSQ 2024, YMCA NSW, 14/11/2024 - 31/12/2024

  • YMCA Boroondara, Boroondara YMCA, 06/05/2024 - 30/11/2024

  • Warrnambool City Council CSQ 2024, Warrnambool City Council, 20/05/2024 - 30/11/2024

  • SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre CSQ and Literature Review 2024, SA Aquatic & Leisure Centre, 06/05/2024 - 30/06/2024

  • Exploring Wellbeing Outcomes in the Aquatic and Recreation Industry, ARC - Linkage Project, 01/07/2020 - 30/06/2024

  • City of Ballarat (BALC) CSQ 2024, City of Ballarat, 06/05/2024 - 30/06/2024

  • Belgravia Leisure CSQs 2023, Belgravia Leisure, 16/11/2023 - 23/12/2023

  • City of Monash, Monash Aquatic & Recreation CSQ 2023, City of Monash, 30/10/2023 - 23/12/2023

  • Blue Mountains City Council CSQs 2023, Blue Mountains City Council, 23/10/2023 - 23/12/2023

  • City Of Monash (Monash Aquatic & Recreation Centre) CSQ 2023, City of Monash, 23/10/2023 - 23/12/2023

  • Noosa Shire Council CSQs 2023, Noosa Shire Council, 30/10/2023 - 23/12/2023

  • CERM-PI Operational Benchmarking for Aust & NZ Stadiums - Phase 7 - 2023, HBF Park, 04/09/2023 - 09/12/2023

  • City of Gold Coast CSQs 2023, Gold Coast City Council, 21/08/2023 - 30/11/2023

  • YMCA Boroondara CSQ 2023, Boroondara YMCA, 14/04/2023 - 30/11/2023

  • YMCA Ku-Ring-Gai Fitness and Aquatic Centre CSQ 2023, YMCA NSW, 28/08/2023 - 30/11/2023

  • Town Of Cambridge CSQ 2023, Town of Cambridge, 06/02/2023 - 30/11/2023

  • Maribyrnong Aquatic Centre CSQ 2023, City of Maribyrnong, 04/09/2023 - 30/11/2023

  • YMCA Boroondara CSQ 2022, Boroondara YMCA, 28/03/2022 - 30/11/2022

  • City of Port Adelaide Enfield CSQs 2022, City of Port Adelaide-Enfield, 28/03/2022 - 30/11/2022

  • Visitor service quality, destination image, and tourism marketing strategies for Botanic Gardens in South Australia (external partner contribution), SA Dept of Environment Water and Natural Resources, 20/06/2019 - 31/05/2021

  • Tennis Australia Operational Benchmarking for national tennis clubs 2017-2020., Tennis Australia, 31/10/2017 - 31/10/2020

  • Benchmarking User Experience in Public Library Services 2019, Local Government Association of South Australia, 30/09/2019 - 31/08/2020

  • PI's for City of Monash 2020, City of Monash, 08/01/2020 - 30/06/2020

  • PI's for Ashburton District Council NZ 2019, Ashburton District Council, 08/05/2019 - 31/12/2019

  • PI's for City of Maribyrnong 2019, City of Maribyrnong, 21/10/2019 - 31/12/2019

  • PI's Auburn Ruth Everuss Aquatic Centre 2018, Belgravia Leisure, 05/03/2018 - 30/06/2019

  • PI's for City of Sydney 2018, City of Sydney, 06/02/2018 - 30/09/2018

  • PI's for YMCA WA 2017, YMCA - Perth, 07/11/2017 - 28/02/2018

  • Operational PI's for AUS 2017, Australian University Sport, 01/03/2017 - 31/12/2017

  • PI's for Ashburton District Council NZ 2017, Ashburton District Council, 02/05/2017 - 31/12/2017

  • PI's Wellington City Council NZ, Wellington City Council, 21/02/2017 - 31/12/2017

  • PI's for Dunedin City Council 2017, Dunedin City Council, 28/07/2017 - 29/12/2017

  • PI's for Inner West Council 2017, Inner West Council (NSW), 18/05/2017 - 31/10/2017

  • PI's for Australian University Sport 2017, Australian University Sport, 01/03/2017 - 30/09/2017

  • PI's for Shire of Nillumbik, ClubLinks, 03/04/2017 - 30/09/2017

  • PI's for Diamond Valley Sports & Fitness Centre 2017, ClubLinks, 01/06/2017 - 30/09/2017

  • PI's for Christchurch City Council, Christchurch City Council, 19/04/2017 - 30/09/2017

  • Operational Health Club Check for Tennis Australia 2016-2017, Tennis Australia, 03/10/2016 - 30/09/2017

  • PI's for City of Fairfield 2017, City of Fairfield, 26/04/2017 - 29/09/2017

  • PI's for City of Whitehorse 2017, City of Whitehorse, 03/04/2017 - 31/07/2017

  • PI's for Belgravia Leisure 2017, Belgravia Leisure, 27/02/2017 - 31/07/2017

  • PI's for SA Aquatic & Leisure Centre 2017, Victorian YMCA Community Programming, 09/03/2017 - 31/07/2017

  • PI's for Dept Treasury, Economic Directorate 2017, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate, 02/01/2017 - 31/07/2017

  • PI's for City of Sydney 2017, City of Sydney, 02/01/2017 - 31/07/2017

  • PI's for YMCA Boroondara 2017, Boroondara YMCA, 06/03/2017 - 30/06/2017

  • PI's for Western Leisure Services 2017, Western Leisure Services, 06/03/2017 - 30/06/2017

  • PI's City of Sydney 2017, City of Sydney, 30/01/2017 - 30/06/2017

  • PI's Blue Mountains City Council 2017, Blue Mountains City Council, 24/01/2017 - 30/06/2017

  • VSQ for Botanic Gardens of South Australia 2016, Botanic Gardens of Adelaide and State Herbarium, 22/09/2016 - 28/02/2017

Programs I'm associated with

  • DBBS - Bachelor of Business (Sport and Recreation Management)

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2019 Principal Supervisor - Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Darren Scott Adamson

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