Abstract
An examination of the persistence of community in mass society, using the ecological perspective as it has been developed in organization theory, especially the concept of organizational success. Four dimensions that help differentiate one type of community from another are defined, & their application to the small town is specified. Based on ethnographic observations & the results of 2 random surveys (1 of town residents & 1 of recent arrivals) in a small Ur NJ town, it is demonstrated that use of the ecological perspective forces a reconsideration of earlier conclusions about the fate of small towns in modern Ur environments. It is concluded that mass society, rather than having a culturally homogenizing effect on community, has enabled increasing specialization of various types of communities.