The organization of social research is discussed. Attention is directed to the following concerns: the forces that foster organizations of research into centers and institutes and the informal organization of research into collaborative efforts; the forms taken by research organizations in the present and the advantages/disadvantages of each form in relation to the functions for which organizations are apparently devised; and the optimal organizational forms for research purposes of different sorts. It is suggested that research organizations vary in size, amount of funding, and structural characteristics. In collegia, or informal research groups, members tend to be of equal status and engage in few concerted research efforts. The least to most complex research organization, in order of complexity, can be classified as follows: collegia, consortium, institute, and research firm. Research firms have elaborate divisions of labor, hierarchies of authority, and status within professional cadres. Research firms and academic departments have radically different organizational principles. These differences have implications for conducting large-scale surveys. Problems of the social research enterprise, including salaries, retaining research personnel, and deciding research topics, are also discussed. (SW)