The Diffusion of an Innovation Through Interorganizational Linkages: A Comparative Case Study. Report from the Project on Organization for Instruction and Administrative Arrangements. Technical Report No. 308 (Parts 1 and 2).

The diffusion of Individually Guided Education in Multiunit Schools (IGE/MUS) from the Wisconsin R & D Center for Cognitive Learning to local schools, was explored in terms of the organizational relationships and roles between the R & D Center, resource system, state education agencies (SEA), teacher education institutions (TEI), both mediating systems, and local schools (LEA). The focus of the study revolved around the independent variables of linkage, structure, and capability and the dependent variable of diffusion. A semistructured interview schedule was used to collect data from system representatives in three states, to probe for relationships, unanticipated barriers, and concerns associated with diffusion. Major findings of the study were: (a) IGE/MUS is the goal which acts as reference point for system relationships; (b) linkage between the TEI and user system was positively related to diffusion of IGE/MUS; (c) frequency of interaction was, in descending order, TEI-user systems, resource system-mediating system, SEA-user system, and resource system-user system; and (d) internal factors of structure and capability had varying consequences on diffusion. Ancillary findings were that internal variables of structure and capability supported linkage; linkage constituted the primary means for facilitating the diffusion; and that the TEI exhibited disproportionately high influence on diffusion. (Author/HMD)