On being all things to all people: Boundary organizations and the contemporary research university

摘要: This article examines the challenges and tensions that inhere in university-based boundary organizations. We begin by reconceptualizing theory of organizations, bringing it into greater alignment with realities current university environment. Using in-depth interviews, documentary analysis ethnographic field work, this framework is applied to a organization attempting reconcile needs water policymakers, administrators, departments, funding agencies. These stakeholders place diverse, conflicting demands on organization. Those create four sets enduring requiring ongoing management However, ability manage these structured constituents’ relative levels power, legitimacy, saliency. show importance adaptive for managing tensions, while also concluding some stakeholders...