FROM AN ANTHROPOLOGICAL POINT OF VIEW, THE SUCCESS OF AN ADVOCATE TO ACHIEVE DIRECTED CHANGE IN A FORMAL ORGANIZATION DEPENDS PRIMARILY UPON FOUR VARIABLES--(1) THE WAY THE ADVOCATE PLAYS HIS ROLE, (2) THE TARGET SYSTEM'S DEPENDENCE UPON AUTHORITY, (3) THE EXPECTATION OF CHANGE SHARED BY MEMBERS OF THE TARGET SYSTEM, AND (4) THE EXTENT OF THE TARGET SYSTEM'S FELT NEED FOR CHANGE. NETWORKS OF INFORMAL RELATIONS AND UNOFFICIAL NORMS MAY IMPEDE ACCEPTANCE OF INNOVATION. THE FORMAL ORGANIZATION'S SIGNIFICANCE FOR CHANGE IS DERIVED FROM THE BOUNDARIES FOR WHICH THE ORGANIZATION'S AUTHORITY IS LEGITIMATED, GOALS ARE DEFINED, AND DECISIONS ARE MADE. SUCCESSFUL INNOVATION IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AS A FORMAL ORGANIZATION, THEREFORE, REQUIRES KNOWLEDGE OF BOTH THE FORMAL AND INFORMAL ASPECTS OF THE SYSTEM. THE POSSIBLE NECESSITY OF DERIVING INNOVATIONS FROM LARGER REGIONAL OR NATION-STATE SYSTEMS TO SOLVE PROBLEMS WITHIN THE LOCAL CLIENT-SERVING SCHOOL SYSTEM CONSTITUTES A MAJOR PROBLEM AREA FOR EDUCATIONAL INNOVATORS. BECAUSE THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR OCCUPIES A BALANCING ROLE, MAINTAINING A WORKING EQUILIBRIUM BETWEEN COMPONENT ELEMENTS OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, A NEW AND SPECIFICALLY INNOVATIVE ACTIVITY IS SUGGESTED, TO WHICH PERSONNEL WOULD BE ASSIGNED AS ADVOCATES FOR THE EXPRESS PURPOSE OF MANAGING EDUCATIONAL CHANGE. THE COMPLETE DOCUMENT, "CHANGE PROCESSES IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS," IS AVAILABLE FROM THE CENTER FOR THE ADVANCED STUDY OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION, UNIVERSITY OF OREGON, EUGENE, OREGON 97403, FOR $2.00. (JK)