The Western States Communication Association consists of about 1,200 professors and teachers of communication. Every year the association has its convention in February at a city in the western region. The convention planning begins about three years ahead of time when a site is chosen. The Time and Place Committee solicits bids from various university departments willing to sponsor and plan the convention in a hotel near their campus, and these sponsors make presentations to the association's Executive Council. The Executive Council chooses the location based on the attractiveness of the various sites presented. The Executive Secretary then negotiates a deal with a local hotel to put on the event.

The convention is planned by two groups of people. The first is the local arrangements committee, a group from the sponsoring institution, that works with the hotel and makes all of the detailed arrangements, from printing the convention pro gram to ordering and delivering equipment. The second group is the president elect and a committee of about twenty interest-group chairs. Their responsibility is to plan the program, including the speakers, panels, and events

The president elect, who will automatically become president the following year, is responsible for overseeing the program planning process. Most of the pro gram consists of presentations and papers by members, who submit their work for review to the interest groups of the organization. Each interest group chair is responsible for coordinating the review process and recommending programs to the president elect.

The program-planning process begins a year in advance when all the interest group chairs meet to discuss the procedures that will be followed in planning the convention. There are forms, deadlines, and policies about how things are to get done. One of the president elect's most important duties is to keep the interest- group chairs and the local arrangements committee informed of planning develop ments throughout the year. The program must be completely planned about three months before the convention, so the printed program can be prepared and the membership can be informed about the various events that will take place at the convention.

The association has a particular method for insuring continuity from year to year. Each year the association elects a first vice-president. This individual will be come the president elect and plan the convention the following year. After that he or she will become president and coordinate the association's business. The first vice-presidency is basically a training position. During this year of service, the individual works with and learns from the current president elect.

Your Analysis: Analyze this case in terms of system principles. Make use of such concepts as input, throughput, output, entropy, interdependence, hierarchy, and feedback.