Educational intermediary organizations, as defined by Honig (2004a), are characterized by their internal placement within schools as they mediate change among groups during the policymaking process. As intermediary organizations work to bring about internal changes, however, they are still performing their core external functions by operating as independent organizations. This case study examined the alliance between a school district and an intermediary organization and how together they designed and implemented a well-received pay-for-performance program that evolved into a wider school improvement program, using the following research questions: (a) How did ISIP act as an intermediary organization in the North Plains Community School District during the policymaking process to influence the program's success and influence the change beliefs of those it affected, (b) How did ISIP act as an intermediary organization in the North Plains Community School District during the professional development sessions to influence the change beliefs of those it affected and influence the program's success, and (c) How did the evolving school improvement efforts challenge the collaboration between ISIP and the North Plains Community School District? Data collection for this descriptive case study occurred during the 2008-2010 school years in the North Plains Community School District as it participated in a state-funded, pay-for-performance grant. District administrators and teacher participants were interviewed, state and district documents were reviewed, and observations were conducted of the pay-for-performance committee meetings and professional development series that accompanied the pay-for-performance assessment. Findings from this study demonstrate how the pay-for-performance policy was the vehicle for change that provided the opportunity and motivation for the school district, via the pay-for-performance committee, to develop and implement new programs. The district hired the intermediary organization to be the facilitator and driver of their change vehicle, giving the pay-for-performance committee the capability to design an accepted policy and implement it. In addition to facilitative duties, the intermediary organization performed its primary function by providing professional development to district teachers. Furthermore, the findings expand previous research of intermediary organizations by examining the challenges brought about by the unique and complicated internal-yet-external roles of intermediary organizations during the policymaking process.

This dissertation offers a platform to understand the nature of cluster initiatives as a socio-economic phenomenon combining cluster, entrepreneurship and intermediary features. They are particular types of ventures facilitating networks and dialog platforms adjusted to local contexts and offering a way to enhance regional development. The success of clusters and regions is shaped by the degree they are based on and involve entrepreneurial activity, which is viewed here under the prism of cluster initiatives. This dissertation uses both qualitative and quantitative approaches to study various organizational aspects of cluster initiatives and their intermediary role as well as providing recommendations for the management and support of these organizations. It is based on five papers written by the author of the dissertation solely and in collaboration with other scholars where the level of analysis is focused on cluster initiatives. Based on empirical material from the papers this dissertation brings together both the structural and organizational content of cluster initiatives by providing evidence in the areas of actors and relationships, mode of organization and intermediary specific, assessment and management as well as policy. This work has generated the following conclusions: firstly, cluster initiatives represent organizations bringing together a four-faceted constellation of interrelated actors (i.e. the initiative itself, key player, support and target group), through organization of intermediary activities. Secondly, these organizations are organized as temporary projects, but being able to attract many members and to satisfy their needs through diversified and innovative activities can help them to achieve longevity. The longevity of initiatives can also be supported by policy, which in order to become effective, should include a long-term perspective and bottom-up approach. And finally, the study proposes a model of five central qualitative success factors to be used for the assessment and management of the initiatives, which together depict a holistic picture of their functioning. This model contains elements such as idea, driving forces, activities, organization and critical mass. The two models of interrelated actors and of success factors form the main contribution of this work. Extending the stream of studies this dissertation raises awareness and calls for recognition of cluster initiatives as important actors working in-between the boundaries of other organizations and institutions. / PIE/HELIX

abstract: The purpose of this study was to understand what promotes or hinders the implementation of a high school education reform policy in Arizona schools from the perspective of a nonprofit organization that served an active and intentional role as an intermediary organization working directly with schools and policymakers. The study was intended to facilitate implementation of the education reform policy in the school sites, to gain knowledge that will be used to inform future cycles of planning and implementation, and to influence state policy. This study was an explanatory nonexperimental multiple case study involving five high schools across Arizona. The study focused on the early phase of implementation of the education reform policy. A mixed methods case study design grounded in the tradition of participatory action research was employed. Data were collected through surveys, interviews, observations, focus groups, and a document review. The results suggest that the education reform policy was implementable in diverse schools across the state. However, how the education reform policy was implemented in each school site appeared to vary. A number of factors seemed to influence the actual implementation process including the design and understanding of the reform, selection process, district context and school characteristics, and school capacity to undertake the reform. The findings suggest that the nonprofit organization that served as an intermediary organization within the study influenced the implementation process. It appears that this primarily took place by providing direct assistance to the schools, creating opportunities for collaboration and communication across the multiple school sites implementing the same education reform policy, and serving as a connector to other organizations, policymakers, and the larger public. The study resulted in the nonprofit organization's deeper understanding of the complexity of implementing the education reform policy, the challenges schools face in implementing the reform, and the factors that appear to promote or impede the implementation process. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ed.D. Educational Leadership and Policy Studies 2012

This research constructs the theoretical framework through documentary analysis; it utilizes the approach of ¡§state and society relations¡¨ on the micro-level of the comparative politics, supplemented with the concept of ¡§corporatism¡¨. This research includes ¡§in-depth interview¡¨ and ¡§case study¡¨ to aim at examining two issues. While the Chinese government has been the central power, the enterprises are the key players in the businesses of modern China. When the private sector has prospered vigorously, the government faced increasing pressure from economic system reform. This indicates that the power of government will shift to the industry and trade association. This research finds that the trade association, deriving from ¡§top down¡¨ model, which can gain more self-Governance, is the successful case of transformation. Its character is that it neither seeks for power from the government during the transformation nor interest from the private sector, but, instead, serves for social welfare and receives more credibility from the public and better organizing autonomy. Since the south patrolling of Deng Xiaoping in 1992, the socialist market economy has been the goal China pursues. In 1998, the ninth session national representatives passed Decision of the structural reform of the State Council plan, and it pointed out ¡§establish a government administrative system with the Chinese characteristics and suitable to the socialist market economic system¡¨. In October 2003, the Third Plenary Session of the 16th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China passed Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Some Issues concerning the Improvement of the Socialist Market Economy . Obviously, in addition to the concept of open policy of the trade market, the policy on decentralization of governmental structural reform is in place. Those changes push the market mechanism to expand gradually, and accelerate the transformation of trade association. It makes the influence of trade association on industrial policy making grow. Particularly, Guangdong Province's economy opened early and also led the development of trade association. This research found that the system and development of trade association in Guangdong Province has exceeded that of the central government. ¡§Guangdong Food Profession Union¡¨ is one of the best examples. This research analyzes the development of food industry of both China and the Guangdong Province, in order to explain the relations among government, the business (market) and the society. Second, to analyze the development of trade association's of China and Guangdong Province to explain the formation of civil society. Third, using the case of ¡§Guangdong Food Profession Union¡¨ to study on its philosophy, institution and interest setting in order to map out the interaction among ¡§Guangdong Food Profession Union (GFPU)¡¨, government and business. Finally, it induces the relations among state, the market, the civil society. This research not only points out the similarities and differences between the study case and the general situation in China, but also classifies three kinds of trade association and within which the trade association of successful transformation might be called ¡§NGO with the Chinese characteristic¡¨. In brief, the social scope of trade association derived from ¡§top down¡¨ model, will de unavoidably deprived by the government. In the social scope formed by the trade association of successful transformation, the administrative authority is (Economic and Trade Commission) no longer in charge of them, but the ideology of Chinese Communist Party still exists. It was the ¡§civil society with the Chinese characteristic.¡¨