Presents a path analytic model that both measures local health system differentiation and explains differences between communities in a causal manner. The policy relevance of this model is discussed. (Author/AM)

Following recent thinking that sees organizations' structures as dependent on their environments, the authors consider characteristics of institutional sectors that affect the organizations arising within them. They first point out problems in present models relating organizations to their environments and discuss several "forerunners"…

A conceptual model of the rhetorical community that addresses the sociodramatic processes through which social order evolves, is maintained, can change, and is threatened is presented in this paper. Following an introduction, the paper identifies the various uses of rhetorical vision and rhetorical community that are found in fantasy theme…

Previous attempts to describe the "structure" of social systems have failed either because of the researcher's presuppositions about the system or because of his inability to deal with the massive amounts of data that a human system necessarily generates. Recent advances in computer software, Network Analysis Program (NEGOPY). have made…

Suggests a logical basis for the use of ecological concepts in modeling a special subculture; that of scholars (and in particular scientists), who produce, barter, and structure information as an ecosystem produces, exchanges, and structures biomass. (JR)

Provides an analytical framework within which hypotheses of class structure are brought to bear in the formulation of models describing occupational mobility. In addition, the article presents seven falsifiable hypotheses about the social class structure of occupational mobility and assesses them within the new framework. (Author/DB)

The community practice model illustrates how goals of participation, empowerment, cooperation, and institutionalization are affected by inputs from human resources, program characteristics, finances, social costs, and policy requirements within the context of the social, economic, and political structure; population diversity; physical…

Noting that since democratization of communication is part of the broad social process, and that any given form of democratic communication is the result of a dialectical tension between the social factors tending toward concentration of social power and contrary factors tending toward redistribution of that power, this paper argues that it is…

Explores some theoretical aspects of the impact of an organization's social structure on leadership. (Available from Comparative Administration Research Institute, Graduate School of Business Administration, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242; $12.00 annually) (Author/MLF)

A framework is provided for ethnographic studies of school cultures, specifically to study the affinity between the function of education and religion in society. (Author/KM)

The application of nonequilibrium thermodynamics could lead to new ways of understanding social processes. (BB)

Rather than concentrating on similarities, it would seem far more profitable to search for ways in which schools are unlike other organizations or the models we have of these. It was suggested that we need to begin building images of schools that are congruent with their reality. This paper attempts the first stage in the task by identifying major…

Notions of how social inquiry can be of some benefit to society are cast in the form of models of relevance. Five models are described and evaluated as sociological hypotheses. Each follows the Weberian assumption and as a group they are the most influential in the development of American sociology. (Author/BC)

This dialogue highlights differences in orientation of clinical as opposed to behavioral sciences. (Editor)