The Interorganizational Field as a Focus for Investigation

This paper takes the context of interorganizational behavior as an interorganizational field, within which specific interactions occur. An example of organizational interaction within such a field is presented by the numerous community decision organizations, such as urban renewal authorities, chambers of commerce, welfare councils, and antipoverty organizations, operating in American metropolitan communities. A typology of contexts for inclusive decision making derived from a preliminary study in three cities is used in analyzing interaction among these organizations. In the heuristic model developed, such organizations are considered the community's vehicles for the attemped maximization of specific values which become incompatible, however, when pressed beyond a certain threshold. Based on the analysis of this interorganizational field, suggestions are made for improving the mix of realized values which these organizations accomplish in their interaction. Roland L. Warren is professor of community theory at the Florence Heller Graduate School, Brandeis University.