Interorganizational Analysis: A Hypothesis on Co-ordinating Agencies

Interorganizational analysis suggests the structural requisites for maintaining socially approved conflict while traditional organizational analysis suggests requisites for socially approved states of harmony. A theory of interorganizational co-ordination is presented, based on (1) organizational interdependence, (2) level of organization awareness, (3) standardization of organizational activities, and (4) number of organizations. The power of this theory is illustrated by showing that nine presumably discrete problems of social welfare co-ordination are all variations of these same four factors.' Eugene Litwak is associate professor of social welfare research, University of Michigan, and Lydia F. Hylton is research associate, Child Welfare League of America.