This article summarizes the results of a research project on the organizational aspects of the legitimacy crisis at West German universities during the late 1960s. Theories on bureaucratization and professionalization were used to deduce relevant propositions. These were tested by causal analysis and decomposition into direct and indirect effects. The results exemplify problems arising when using the results of empirical research to guide policy recommendations. Proposals are put forward to integrate empirically tested causal models and action research into research strategies.
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