| The purpose of this dissertation study is to examine the resource dependencies and inter-organizational networks of ethnic community based organizations and their influences on organizational viability and goals and the impact of ethnic community based organizations on social adjustment and community empowerment needs of Chinese and Vietnamese immigrant communities. The theoretical frameworks utilized include resource dependence, inter-organizational networks, assimilation, ethnic pluralism, and social capital. This study examines 2 Chinese and 2 Vietnamese community based organizations serving immigrants and refugees in the San Francisco Bay Area and utilizes the methodologies of collective case study, grounded theory, and ethnography. The procedures utilized in this study included concentrated participant observation, key informant interviews, and collection of documentary materials. The findings suggest that the development of Chinese and Vietnamese community organizations and their respective ethnic communities reflect the historical developments and trends of globalization, American immigrant service industry, the cultural politics affecting minority ethnic communities in America, and home country developments in Asia. Government agencies and ethnic community elites have the most control and influence over the mission, programs, and viability of ethnic community organizations and provide key organizational financial, legitimacy, and human resources. However, ethnic community organizations are not passive players, but experienced hands in the immigrant service industry and are resilient and flexible to political and fiscal challenges. In addition, within the Chinese and Vietnamese communities, ethnic community organizations and ethnic elites represent critical entities of ethnic social capital and provide community leadership, social adjustment, cultural preservation, political empowerment, and community building resources to its members. However, negative ethnic social capital, especially minority ethnic affiliation, also has its disadvantages and often restricts members of the ethnic community from full incorporation in American society. Building and sustaining American mainstream and home country resource networks can help to bridge such barriers and build up ethnic community capacity. For Chinese and Vietnamese community organizations and their respective ethnic communities, maintaining ethnic solidarity and mainstream incorporation are both essential to their status and mobility in American society. |
