School-effectiveness and school-improvement researchers are increasingly looking to establish some kind of synergy between their respective fields; however, current attempts lack a clear understanding of organizations. School-effectiveness research tends to emphasize structural dimensions, while the focus in school-improvement work is on organizational cultures. This paper proposes that by incorporating a third dimension--power--the two fields can be more successfully brought together. A concept of organizations that uses structure, culture, and power as mutually reinforcing analytical tools is outlined, and ways in which "power" can illuminate both school-effectiveness and school-improvement research are discussed. The paper concludes by proposing some research questions that might provide a basis for a more successful integration of the two research traditions: (1) What forms of knowledge power are deemed to be legitimate and where are they located within the school? and (2) How is it deemed legitimate to exercise different forms of power resources for the purposes of school improvement? Two figures are included. (Contains 81 references.) (Author/LMI)