Two primary sources of data were utilized: official church records, and a questionnaire survey administered to a random sample of Anglo and African-American United Methodists in the North Texas area. Questions covered socio-demographic and theological matters as well as perceptions of racism in the church. Ministers and lay members were surveyed separately.

This study examines the determinants of organizational commitment in a self-managing work team setting. The data used in the study are from a sample of 313 employees in an electronics manufacturing plant. Chapter one introduces the reader to the topic of self-managing work teams and explains the relevance of commitment to this organizational structure. Chapter two is a review of the literature which focuses on commitment, its determinants, and two theories used to explain the relationship between them. The remaining chapters describe the methodology used in the study, explain the findings and draw conclusions. Of all the factors analyzed, only perceived organizational support and autonomy were found to influence commitment in this sample. The relevance of these findings for business and academia is discussed.