Longitudinal Study of the Programs and the Organization of a Division of the Corps of Engineers.
Abstract
The objective of this thesis is to analyze the changes in the organization of public works departments over an extended period of time and to ascertain the reasons therefore. This is accomplished through a longitudinal study of the New England Division of the Corps of Engineers (NED) covering a twenty eight year period from 1955 through 1983. Financial records are analyzed to identify the nature and extent of program changes. On this basis the twenty eight year study period is discretized into five distinct periods with associated hypotheses. Using an analytical framework for classifying the organization, the way in which it is fragmented into subelements and the nature of the mechanisms for activity integration within each period are then categorized. Analysis of the organization is accomplished along three dimensions: differentiation of organization structure, methods of formal coordination and informal methods. These analyses rely upon data obtained from organizational charts, project files, and semi-structured interviews with key informants, respectively. Each of these analyses results in alternative, sometimes competing classifications of the organization. These alternative assessments are then analyzed resulting in an overall assessment of the organization. The most significant variables influencing the changes from one period to the next are also identified.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1984
- Accession Number
- ADA141776
Entities
People
- T. A. Holden Jr