Interorganizational Linkages and Influence Over Decision Making

Abstract

The article examines the linkages between 46 human service agencies and their local United Way organization to determine the extent to which an agency's dependence on United Way for scarce resources as well as its linkages to other resource suppliers is related to United Way influence over agency decision making. It is prevalent among human service agencies to establish formal relations with a resource supplier as a means of reducing uncertainty. The reason for an agency to affiliate formally with United Way is the capacity of United Way to reduce uncertainty regarding the acquisition of funding.