THE SOCIAL NETWORKS OF LEADERS IN MORE-OR-LESS VIABLE COMMUNITIES 6 YEARS LATER - A RESEARCH NOTE

Using 1995 data, this study re-examines the social networks of leaders in five more and less viable rural communities in Missouri which were originally studied in 1989 (O'Brien et al. 1991; O'Brien and Hassinge r 1992). In the six year period between the 1989 and 1995 surveys, fou r of the five communities were impacted by major events, including the introduction of corporate hog production in two places and flooding i n two others. However, despite these events, there is a high degree of continuity in the relative viability scores of the five places in the two surveys. Leaders in more viable places continue to work with a la rger number of fellow leaders and to be more involved in community dev elopment organizations than their counterparts in less viable places. These findings show the importance of social capital for rural communi ty viability.