Institutional research is an adaptive tool. It aids decisionmakers in assessing an institution's efficiency, and in determining the appropriateness of the institution's goals in relation to social needs. However, given the limited resources available for planning, choices must at times be made as to whether to concentrate analytical studies on internal functioning or on the external environment. This article describes the planning focus of one institution, the University of Massachusetts/Boston, which evolved along with changing external conditions in recent years. (Author)