NIH - DECONSTRUCTION OF A GRAND SYNTHESIS

Structural evolution of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is stu died with organizational theory. NIH's transition from a functional to a market divisional structure as the agency's client biomedical resea rch community underwent segmentation is described using as case exampl es the formation of two institutes. Strategies followed by professiona l groups seeking to influence an executive agency are illustrated How a structure focused on servicing particular medical constituencies may compromise the study section review of research grant applications on which NIH credibility rests is examined. NIH response to the more dyn amic recent environment (AIDS, molecular biology) by recourse to matri x form is considered. Prospects for survival of the agency's unique ad ministrative synthesis are evaluated.