DEFINING AND MEASURING STRUCTURAL VARIATIONS IN INTERORGANIZATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS

• NCJ Number: 17860
• Author(s): E OSTROM; R B PARKS; G P WHITAKER
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 34 pages
• Grant Number(s): GI-43949
• Sponsoring Agency: National Science Foundation
• Corporate Author: Indiana University
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

EXAMINATION OF THE RELEVANT EFFECTS OF THE STRUCTURE OF INTERORGANIZATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS AMONG POLICE AGENCIES SERVING A COMMON METROPOLITAN AREA.

Abstract

A GENERAL APPROACH TO THE PROBLEM OF CONCEPTUALIZING INTERORGANIZATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS AMONG POLICE AGENCIES IN A METROPOLITAN AREA IS DESCRIBED. THE APPROACH IS BASED ON THE CONCEPT OF A PUBLIC SERVICE INDUSTRY. THE USE OF SERVICE STRUCTURE MATRICES TO DELINEATE THE SERVICE BY SERVICE CONFIGURATIONS OF A POLICE INDUSTRY IS DISCUSSED. THE AUTHORS ILLUSTRATE THE USE OF SERVICE STRUCTURE MATRICES TO DESCRIBE THE INTERORGANIZATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS AMONG POLICE AGENCIES WITHIN A SINGLE METROPOLITAN AREA. SIX MEASURES OF METROPOLITAN STRUCTURE TO BE DERIVED FROM SERVICE STRUCTURE MATRICES ARE DEFINED. THESE MEASURES ARE FRAGMENTATION, MULTIPLICTY, DUPLICATION, INDEPENDENCE, COORDINATION, AND DOMINANCE. THE USE OF SUCH MEASURES ENABLES COMPARISONS TO BE MADE ACROSS METROPOLITAN AREAS. THESE MEASURES ARE UTILIZED TO COMPARE THE STRUCTURE OF THE POLICE INDUSTRIES IN THREE METROPOLITAN AREAS WITH RESPECT TO FOUR TYPES OF POLICE SERVICES. THE USE OF STRUCTURAL MEASURES IN PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS IS ALSO DISCUSSED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)