Community Leader Characteristics, Problem Perception and Purposive Social Change: Putting It All Together.

In developing programs to foster purposive social change, it is imperative that program planners receive information regarding the perceptions of those in key positions and the general public concerning the major problems or issues facing a county. This report assesses the characteristics of leaders from several North Carolina counties in regard to these perceptions, also comparing them with those of the general public. Responses for Section 1 (Community leader characteristics) were received from 511 community leaders in seven counties. At the same time, January 1973, a statewide survey of the State's general public determined their perceptions of community problems, which are compared with the community leaders' perceptions in Section 2. Section 3 deals with the implications drawn from the first two sections. The seven participating counties were self-selected, including one metropolitan (formerly rural), two metropolitan fringe, and four, rural. The study examined approximately 40 typical problems, such as education, public facilities, economic development, health, long range community planning, housing, and recreation. The varying importance to these different areas by the general public and the leaders may indicate that education and information programs are needed to make leadership, as well as the public at large, aware of the scope of the planning problem and the implications that may flow from the lack of planning. (KM)