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The competent community revisited: A case study of networking in policy implementation
Author(s) -
Morris Michael,
Frisman Linda Koistinen
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.585
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1520-6629
pISSN - 0090-4392
DOI - 10.1002/1520-6629(198701)15:1<29::aid-jcop2290150105>3.0.co;2-0
Subject(s) - legislation , competence (human resources) , variety (cybernetics) , intervention (counseling) , public relations , political science , locality , business , knowledge management , public administration , psychology , social psychology , law , computer science , linguistics , philosophy , artificial intelligence , psychiatry
This case study analyzes an attempt to develop the ability of community organizations and groups to coordinate their efforts in implementing state legislation for the deinstitutionalization of status offenders. The intervention was carried out by a “networker,” whose responsibilities closely resembled those associated with the “ombudsman” role proposed by Sarason and Lorentz (1979). Using a strategy emphasizing locality development (Rothman, 1968), the networker organized community meetings where organizations concerned with the legislation were brought together for the purpose of resource exchange. A variety of collaborative projects involving shared resources resulted from these networking meetings. The implications of the intervention for developing community competence are discussed, with special attention being paid to the roles that intangible resources and commitment to the geographical community play in networking. The need for comparative research on network development that goes beyond the casestudy approach is also addressed.