Certain problems arose in an attempt to develop a research design for studying the social role of the school executive. The study was to examine the degree of consensus on behavioral expectations for the occupants of this occupational role, the degree of potential or actual role conflict in this social position, and the manner in which an occupational role is defined and "learned." Most existent conceptual role models need to be reformulated to give them a greater empirical utility. It becomes necessary to develop conceptual frameworks and analytic categories to handle data that reveal different numbers and kinds of relevant alters in respect to different sectors of ego and alter behavior as incumbents of social positions. This suggests that what is usually viewed as a single role may require subdivision into a number of sub-roles for the explanation of the incumbent's behavior. The common practice of assuming that a particular status or position has associated with it a set of rights and duties on which there is consensus should, therefore, be abandoned. (Authors/WM)