<p>In three distinct but related chapters, this dissertation explores the causes and consequences of an important trend in American religion -- the concentration of people into very large churches. I undertake a systematic examination of historical materials to excavate the origins of the modern Protestant megachurch and find its genesis lies in the beginnings of the Reformation, not in the late twentieth century as commonly argued. I then turn to study the consequences of this shift, using data from the combined National Congregations Study and U.S. General Social Survey. I uncover a significant negative relationship between congregation size and the probability of attendance. These results provide convincing evidence in support of the theory that social interaction and group cohesion lies at the heart of the size-participation relationship. Finally, I use zero-inflated regression models to examine the relationship between size and the socio-economic status composition of the church. My analyses reveal a negative relationship between size and low household income. Larger congregations contain a larger proportion of regular adult participants living in high income households and possessing college degrees, and a smaller proportion of people living in low income households. In congregations located in relatively poor census tracts, the relationship between high socio-economic status (SES) and congregation size remains significant. This research offers important correctives that help situate megachurches in the United States in their proper context. It provides important insights into how the shift of churchgoers into large congregations may concentrate power in these organizations and reduce overall rates of attendance.</p> / Dissertation

This thesis investigates the relationship between organizational size and the decision of using social impact measurements in Swedish socially entrepreneurial organizations, which include organizations and individuals that aim at solving social problems. Data is collected using an online survey, and three different ways to measure organizational size are used and tested whether they have a positive relation-ship with the use of social impact measurement. Organizational size is measured as the yearly turnover, available personnel and the number of members and participants in the organization. The association was analyzed through three different analytical methods, and we also present detailed descriptive statis-tics for the data sample. The results showed significant relationships between available staff as well as members and participants and the use of social impact measurements, while no significant relationship between the yearly turnover and the use of social impact measurements could be confirmed. We suggest a consideration of impact measurements when addressing sustainable organizational development as well as consideration of organizational size for local governments when introducing policies, funding and other support for socially entrepreneurial organizations.

Major changes in organizational structural paradigms have been occurring. Recent journal articles propose that the older philosophies of expanding organizations and increasing internal specialization are no longer viable means to enhance competitiveness as espoused in earlier journal articles. Downsizing, rightsizing, and business process reengineering have all been used as methods of accomplishing organizational work force reduction (OWFR) and enhancing organizational posture. It has been established that as organizations grow, specialization increases. Causes for OWFR have not been established nor have effects upon structure been studied. Previous structural factor studies have focused upon organizations engaged in end-game strategies done during periods of internal and economic growth. This study evaluates the impacts of OWFR and its relationship to the structural factor of specialization during a non-munificent economic period. Three independent variables, dis-integration, change in the number of employees, and change in technology, were used as measures to determine whether specialization decreased when organizations downsized. The dependent variable, specialization, was obtained through a pre-tested questionnaire. The three independent variables were obtained using the Compustat data base as a secondary source of information. The Compustat data was verified using data from Compact Disclosure. Questionnaires were mailed to fifty-one fully integrated oil companies. Forty were returned after three mailings yielding a response rate of seventy-eight percent. The unit of analysis for the data collected was the firm. The data were analyzed using multiple regression to determine the strength of the relationship between the variables. Results indicate a significant relationship between two of the independent variables and the dependent variable: dis-integration and specialization and change in the number of employees and specialization. Findings were insignificant for the third independent variable and the dependent variable: change in technology and specialization. Analysis of the quantitative results and the qualitative responses of the participants show that dis-integration and a change in the number of employees are both useful for measuring structural change for organizations engaged in organizational work force reduction.

Organizational size is a common way to describe and understand organizations invarious settings: in every-day situations as well as in organizational research. Withinorganization theory, organizational size has been seen variously as a basic feature ofthe organization (an independent variable); as a result of a reaction to the environmentof the organization (a dependent variable); or as a basic criterion for the selectionand categorizing of empirical cases (a selective variable). Often, organizationalsize is measured through the number of employees, budget or turnover; but linked toit are also associations that might not always match the organizational reality as experiencedby those managing and working in the organization. "is mismatch can causeproblems for the organization as for its members, and illustrates that organizationalsize is not only a variable that can be operationalized quantitatively, but a figure ofthought, affecting our expectations of the organization. "e purpose of this thesis isto develop the understanding of organizational size as a figure of thought by describinghow it has been used traditionally and by developing an alternative definition ofthe concept. This is done with the help of a case study of an organization that was perceived as differentin size compared to what it was when measured traditionally. An ethnographicapproach, including shadowing, semi-structured interviews, and the collection ofprinted and digitally stored material related to the case, has generated the empiricalmaterial which has been analyzed through a narrative approach. Understanding organizational size as a figure of thought makes it apparent that thetraditional view of organizational size builds on certain implications regarding theorganization, implications not acknowledging the ongoing organizing aspects. "eempirical case illustrates that the size of the organization is not only a question ofwhere the borders around “the organization” are drawn, but when they are drawn,since it can be seen to be a continuously constructed action net. Two types of actionsare identified: actions of narrativization and actions of realization. Whereas the firsttype involves actions that lead to the emergence of narratives about the organization,the second type constitutes actions that inscribe the organization into differentmaterialities. "ese two types of actions illustrate how the borders around “theorganization” are drawn and help explain the mismatch between expectations of theorganization based on perceptions of its size. "e conclusion is that “organizationalsize” is not only something that is, but something that is done. "ese two dimensionsof the concept are called “the ostensive” and “the performative”, respectively. Eventhough “organizational size” makes “the organization” present, it has limitations as atheoretical concept if its performative dimensions are not acknowledged, since it createsa simplified impression of “the organization” as being a static entity. / QC 20100716

Den teknologiska utvecklingen är i ständig gång och företag arbetar hårt för att stanna i dess framkant och att vara konkurrenskraftiga. En central del i företagsverksamhet blir därmed produktutveckling. För att lyckas med sin produktutveckling förekommer det att organisationer anställer konsultfirmor för att få tillgång till dess kunskap och kompetens. Men hur ser detta samarbete ut? Vilka kunskaper bidrar konsulterna med? Vilka faktorer får denna roll att variera? Denna rapport syftar till att redogöra för den tekniska konsultens roll i produktutvecklingsprojekt, vilka faktorer som påverkar denna roll, samt hur de gör det. Rapporten är dels uppbyggd på en litteraturstudie för att skapa en teoretisk referensram angående vad den tekniska konsultrollen innebär och dess grundpelare. Fortsättningsvis är rapporten även baserad på en kvalitativ intervjustudie vilken utfördes hos tre organisationer och med fyra respondenter. Samtliga organisationer är konsultfirmor i Sverige och samtliga respondenter är tekniska konsulter inom produktutveckling och dess erfarenheter är därmed högst väsentliga för arbetet. Respondenterna fick i enskilda intervjuer berätta om sina erfarenheter och svara på frågor utformade ur rapportens forskningsfrågor. Resultaten från denna empiriska studie samt den teori som hämtades ur litteraturstudien har jämförts och analyserats. De slutsatser som framgick ur studien är att små uppdragsgivare medför en bredare roll för konsulten, stora uppdragsgivare medför en smalare roll för konsulten, uppdragsgivare efterfrågar främst tekniska kunskaper från konsulter, uppdragsgivare bestämmer nivå av autonomi samt att tät och kontinuerlig kommunikation främjar ett gott samarbete mellan interna och externa parter.