Social and Economic Impacts on Communities of Hosting The London Olympic Games 2012 - Essay Example

This study therefore examines the social impact of host communities staging major sport events with a specific examination of the upcoming London 2012 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. The study utilised a secondary research method applying Morgan (2007) SLR methodology to scrutinise the various literature on the subject. The literature examined was based on past sports effect limited to the 2000 Sidney Olympics to the most recent Beijing Games 2008. The sources were collected from academic, journals, books and relevant reports as well as topical writings.

The study has indicated a positive social impact on local communities with numerous studies indicating that the local population has gained tremendously from the staging of the event in their backyard. Many indicators point at a resurgence of the formerly deprived area to emerge as a major economic zone in London. The study was however, limited by the scope of the research, which was examining the topic prior to the staging of the events, hence lacked some long-term view of the sustenance of the projects.

This study will build upon existing research on the social impact of major sports events but with particular focus upon the upcoming London 2012 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. The study evaluates the positive and negative impact of hosting the Games on local communities while also seeking to establish the short term and long-term effects to the community. The study aims at determining whether major or mega sporting events exemplified by the Olympics have a positive or negative impact on local communities who normally endure the most of the events staged in their backyard.

Most studies emphasise the economic benefits including infrastructural developments, employment, integration and environmental upgrading; however, there have been some indications that some members of the community are negatively affected by this mega events. This study is based on the London 2012 summer Olympics Games,