10.2190/RK9V-R8H9-AM9F-DBMC RK9VR8H9AM9FDBMC 3 G.R.W.C. and the Grassroots 235 252 20020509 20020509 20020509 20020509 RK9VR8H9AM9FDBMC.pdf http://baywood.metapress.com/link.asp?target=contribution&id=RK9VR8H9AM9FDBMC 3 Bradley F. Smith William N. Thompson Department of Social Science, Delta College Department of Political Science, Western Michigan University <p>Many of the pressing problems facing America today can only be hoped to be solved by utilizing a regional approach. Regionalism, unlike the traditional forms of American state and local government is more often then not, voluntary in its nature. The success of regional governments like planning units, multistage compacts, councils of government and watershed councils depends not so much on binding ordinances and statues as it does upon the members dedication and perception of success.</p><p>This article is designed to identify those attitudinal and behavioral factors which could enhance a voluntary organizations possibility of attaining their goals. The organization to be studied is the Grand River Watershed Council.</p> J. W. Davis, <i>An Introduction to Public Administration</i>, Free Press, New York, pp. 139-142, 1974. P. Blau, <i>Exchange and Power in Social Life</i>, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1964. P. B. Clark and J. Q. Wilson, Incentive Systems: A Theory of Organization, <i>Administrative Science Quarterly, 6</i>, pp. 129-166, 1961. R. Cyert and J. March, <i>A Behavioral Theory of the Firm</i>, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1963. A. Downs, <i>Inside Bureaucracy</i>, Little Brown & Co., Boston, pp. 5-23, 1967. E. M. Rogers, <i>The Diffusion of Innovations</i>, Free Press, New York, pp. 178-182, 1962. C. Barnard, <i>The Functions of The Executive</i>, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass., 1971. P. Selznick, <i>TVA and The Grass Roots</i>, Harper & Row, New York, 2nd ed., 1966. P. Selznick, <i>Leadership in Administration, A Sociological Interpretation</i>, Row, Peterson & Co., Evanston, Ill., 1957.