Themes in Agency Case Histories

Abstract

Going beyond the structural characteristics of these agencies and the demographics of the 12 directors, we need one additional type of context--a sense of history. In my interviews with each director and the 79 executives from the various contact agencies, I explored a variety of historical issues. Upon reviewing this information, three broad clusters of ideas emerged that pertained to (1) agency changes; (2) alterations in interorganizational relationships; and (3) shifts in community support and perceptions of community vulnerability. Let’s examine each of these contextual qualities briefly.