The office of the women's advocate in Houston : An attempt at affirmative action for women

Abstract

This thesis examines the behavior of the Office of the Women's Advocate in the City of Houston, utilizing categories of organizational assessment outlined by James D. Thompson. Content analysis, survey research and observer participation methods are applied. The thesis is that formal goals of the office are defined in intrinsic, internal city government terms and best assessed by efficiency and instrumental tests, while the self-assessment and behavior of the office are concerned with extrinsic community variables and assessed by social referrent or prestige measures. Strategies of behavior are examined, as are fluctuations of interest in the office by its environment. The thesis is supported by the content analysis, and observer participation, while results from the survey research are mixed. The findings call for broader definition of affirmative action efforts, lessening frustration on the part of enforcement officials, and promoting better public acceptance of such efforts.