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PROPOSITIONS TO BE EXPLORED

PART B: PROPOSITIONS AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The research question is simply how and why did the IHDT continue to 
move ahead in the quest to "reinvent" government when other agencies 
have floundered.  Whereas conventional quantitative research dictates
the posting of a hypothesis a priori to be tested, this study will 
use the qualitative approach of posing propositions which will be 
explored.

Because the outcome of the IHDT process (the recommendations) is 
already completed, the purpose of this study is to explore the 
factors leading to that output.  It will examined under four primary 
components.  Those four include 1.) the agenda setting process, 
2.) factors that influence the decision making process, 3.) why 
recommendations were made to dismantle the bureaucracy, and 4.) the 
implications of those recommendations as power and authority are 
transferred.  Although it is recognized that the boundaries of these 
components may overlap, it provides a framework for exploration and 
discussion.  Within this framework, the following propositions are 
generated:

1.)  While the current fervor to "reinvent" government has been 
fueled by recent campaign promises and political "buzz words", the 
Indian Health Service’s attempt to reorganize its power structure is
not just a passing political fad, but a natural evolution of federal 
Indian policy.  
 
2.)  The concepts of "self-determination" and tribal sovereignty are 
the primary determinants of the decision making processes of the IHDT. 
These ingrained, immutable and universal values held by members of the 
IHDT assists in overcoming the barriers confronted while resolving 
controversial issues.
 
3.)  It is the belief that changing the structure of bureaucracy is 
tantamount to changing the possession of power.  A power and authority
shift constitutes a threat to existing structures and creates a 
situation of conflict which engenders some form of compromise between
the beliefs and values of IHDT members and  external forces 
represented by the current structure.

A conceptual map of the project illustrates these points more clearly 
(See page 7).  Plotted on a time line, the two streams of energy of 
government attitude as reflected by policy, and the level of activism 
of both Indian and non-Indian activities toward Self-Determination 
illustrate the evolutionary nature of the process.  The schism between
government control and self-determination represent relational aspects
of power and authority.  Finally, perceptions of bureaucracy as a 
viable structure for governance is plotted in this timeline.  They are 
depicted as streams of energy that affect the outcome the IHDT 
recommendations.   The subsequent literature review will address each 
of these concepts in detail.
 
The relevance of these themes are stated in my propositions.  Inter-
views with members of the IHDT will explore their feelings on whether
my propositions are valid. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews 
with members of the Indian Health Design Team will be used to collect
data, and a grounded theory protocol will be used to analyze the data.  
In Chapter III: Methodology, the rationale and processes for data 
collection and analysis will be discussed.

Finally, a summary of the proposal will be provided to include future 
research possibilities that its findings may elicit.  Appendices will
include a Work Time Table for completion of the project and the 
interview questions that were designed to explore the validity of the
propositions.


CONCEPTUAL MAPPING OF PROJECT: STREAMS OF ENERGY 

· 
· ------------------------  	=  Government Control and Attitude
· 
· ****************	=  Activism of Indian and Non-Indians toward Self-Determination
· 
· ________________	=  Perception of bureaucracy as a viable structure
· 
·                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
·                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         * _______
·                                                                                                                                                                                                                               *       	|            |
·                                                                                                                                                                                                                   *                     	|    T      |
·                                                                                                                                                                                                       *  			|     h     |
·                                                                                                                                                                                              *				|     e     |
·                                                                       --------------                                                                                                     *				|            |
·                                                                     |                  |                                                                                                     *				|     S     |	
·                                                                     |                  |                                                                   ********************				|      t     |
·                                                                     |                  |                                                                   *						|      u    |
·                                   ----------------------------                 |                                                                   *						|      d    |	
·                                  |                                                     |                                                     ********						|      y    |
·                                  |                                                     ---------------------------------------    *      --------------					|            |
·              ----------------                                                                                                      |     *     |                |					|     P     |
·             |                                                                                                                           |     *     |                |					|      e    |
·             |                                                                                                                           |     *     |                |----------------------			|      r    |
·             |                                      *************************************************    |                                           |				|      i     |
· -----------                                     *                                                                                   |            |                                          |				|     o     |
·                                                    *                                                                                    ---------                                             -------------		|     d     |
· ****************************                                                                                                                                                                 \		|            |
·                                                                                                                                                                                                                          \		|            |
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