Interdepartmental Conflict and Cooperation: Two Contrasting Studies

Abstract

This report compares and contrasts emergent behavioral patterns in two district organizations. It focuses on how personnel of functionally interdependent departments enter into the process of joint decision-making and otherwise relate to each other. The study is based on data gathered through field observations and interviews. The analytical approach is to describe behavior in tactical terms, characterizing the participants in these two lateral relationships as behaving instrumentally and adaptively, albeit not always effectively.