SYSTEM LINKAGES AMONG WOMEN'S ORGANIZATIONS: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF MEMBERSHIP AND LEADERSHIP LINKAGES AMONG WOMEN'S FORMAL ORGANIZATIONS IN A LOCAL COMMUNITY.
Abstract
The local Civil Defense Director is conceptualized as a change agent with the task of instigating social change. In local communities voluntary organizations, conceptualized as social systems, are potential resources which a change agent may utilize in various ways to instigate social change. The voluntary organizations in a single local community have various relationships extant between them which may impinge upon attempts to involve them in social change efforts. One of these relationships is that of structural system linkage, i.e. overlapping memberships with or without accompanying leadership responsibilities or qualities. Four types of structural system linkages are analyzed in this report; member to member linkage, member to officer linkage, member to organizational influential linkage and member to community influential linkage. Definite patterns of member to member linkages and member to leader linkages existed among the 41 study organizations. Clusters of organizations were delineated on the basis of the patterning of member to member linkages. The patterns of member to leader linkages differed from that of the member to member linkages. In terms of potential influence, operationalized as a structural concept, it was found that the organizations of certain clusters had greater potential influence over community organizations than did others. Implications of the findings for change agents and future research are drawn from the conclusions. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1967
- Accession Number
- AD0651049
Entities
People
- Don A. Dillman
- George M. Beal
- Gerald E. Klonglan
- Joe M. Bohlen
- Paul Yarbrough
Organizations
- Iowa State University