This thesis deals with the effects of environmental,
biographical and internal structure variables on the policy
roles, intergovernmental relations and cohesiveness in decision-
making of Florida and Georgia county commissioners.
The principal data for this study were derived from a mail
questionaire survey of county commissioners. These data,
along with selected biographic and demographic data, were
drawn from a more extensive research effort by Dr. Robert D.
Thomas, Associate Professor of Political Science, Florida Atlantic
University. The findings of this study suggest that
urbanization, modernization and reforms of the internal
structure of county governments have not had a significant
effect on the perceived policy roles or intergovernmental relations
of county commissioners or on their perceived cohesiveness
in voting on county issues.