Conceptualization and facilitation of community organizations: A multiple case study

Utilizing a mixed-method design, this dissertation analyzed the development and functioning of three case-study community coalitions. The three coalitions were selected by a cluster analysis to maximize their differences. Historical reconstructions of the development and functioning of each coalition were obtained from the free-recall of members of the coalition. The historical reconstructions from each coalition were compared and contrasted with each other as well as evaluated in terms of a developmental framework of Florin, Mitchell and Stevenson (1993). Despite their differences, there were similarities among the developmental histories of the three case-study coalitions. These similarities were translated into principles that can potentially guide technical assistance efforts designed to facilitate the development and functioning of community coalitions in general. Given the developmental state of the literature regarding coalitions, information gleaned from this dissertation also provides new directions for future research to further understand and facilitate community coalitions