Although much research exists in the performance of organisation, little literature exists that allows understanding of how the performance of National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of sport emerges. The research in this paper aims to facilitate this understanding and presents the results of a programme of research carried out with French NGBs. In the main phase of the research, utilizing an adaptation of Lawrence and Lorsch's (1973) theoretical framework, case study research was carried out with 11 French NGBs in order to understand their strategy and management practices in relation to their organisational performance.
Analysis of these case studies, alongside previous research that has focused on the relationship between strategy/organisational structure and performance permits the proposal of a framework that attempts to explain NGB performance in the sport arena. This proposed framework is based on the strategic performance mix and the operational performance mix which are at the origin of the differentiation/integration balance of the NGBs. The strategic performance mix affects the potential performance of an NGB, while the operational performance mix affects the actual performance of an NGB. Thus, an understanding of these factors allows an understanding of why National Governing Bodies exhibit their levels of performance.