In his first two years as director of the Miami-Dade (Fla.) County Water and Sewer Department (WASD), John Renfrow implemented a major reorganization of his utility. Like most reorganizations, this initiative stressed efficiency and economy as well as maximizing coordination and minimizing redundancies (March & Olson, 1983; Boyle, 1979). But reorganizations have significance beyond efficiency; they are important signaling events and educational opportunities in the life of an organization. Organizations have values, priorities, and beliefs; reorganizations can reinforce or contravene them (Maynard-Moody et al, 1986; March & Olson, 1983). At one level, Renfrow's reorganization helped capture efficiencies and eliminate waste and fraud. At a deeper level, the reorganization helped to shape the mission and culture of one of the nation's largest utilities.
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