The Adaptation Mechanisms Of Organizations In A Dual-legitimacy Dilemma

China has witnessed complex and profound changes in its social systems, in the process of which, organizations and federations have also undergone a process of dramatic changes. Gov-NGO is a Chinese characteristic organizational phenomenon, consequently, in the period of social transformation, these federations have experienced historic changes in the respect of their development patterns and evolution models to guarantee their survival and development. These changes, which constitute an integral part of social transition, reflect the feature, the process and the direction of China's social transformation. A case study in this respect will shed light on a sustainable social reform of China.The thesis is a case study of ACWF (All-China Women's Federation), a typical federation of government patronage Gov-NGO. From a perspective of its organizational changes, the thesis explores the subtle and complex adapting tactics of the federation in the social transformation periods and underlines the adaptation mechanisms. The thesis aims to discover the structural relationship between social transformations and organizational variation of the federation.The thesis falls into an analytical framework entitled"the source of transformation, the dynamics of transformation, the process of transformation, results of transformation". Employing the core concept of"dual-legality dilemma", the thesis explores the transformation process of ACWF. With the changes of social environment, ACWF has undergone a procedure of changes, from a civilian-operated one, to an administrative one, and to a non-governmental one. Especially in the period of social transformation, its duality is highlighted when it faces the external factors of social system transformation, power restructuring, women's groups diverging, and the effects of globalization on the one hand, and the internal factors --- the duality of both governmental and civilian organization, resources restricting factors, structural problems and the reforming requirements. ACWF is facing a dilemma of dual-legality in governmental and non-governmental social interactions. It tolerates insufficient support from the government and faces the crisis of recognition and identification from the civil society."Come into being when granted partial legitimacy, and seek full development in the process of seeking full legitimacy"is a principle of all federations, including ACWF. Guided by the principle, ACWF is undergoing an adaptation change. Women federations are employing strategies of adjusting its relations with the government, rebuilding its representative and guiding position in women groups, and setting targets of system innovations. Consequently, series of actions are resulted, such as the adjustment of organizational objectives, the reform of organizational structure, the reestablishment of social network and the reform of the operating mode, etc.ACWF, which endeavors to reorganize and gradually weaken its original features, structures, operating logics and to progressively generate new ones respectively, has undergone a gradual adaptation transition. The transition results in a replacement and fuzziness in the respect of organizational objectives, the dualization in its structure, and the dispersion of its scope of activities, which is concluded in the thesis as"dispersion effect". Organizational changes reflect social changes and the reconstructing of social structures and orders. The transition of organizations is not only beneficial to its survival and development but also an accelerating factor of a reasonable social structure.