SEVERAL FEDERAL AGENCIES HAVE SET UP SPECIAL UNITS CONCERNED WITH THE DIFFUSION AND UTILIZATION (D&U) OF THE RESEARCH THEY HAVE SPONSORED. ACTIVITIES OF FOUR SUCH D&U UNITS WERE STUDIED: (1) DIVISION OF R&D UTILIZATION, MANPOWER ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, (2) NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATION, OFFICE OF EDUCATION, DHEW (DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION AND WELFARE), (3) RESEARCH UTILIZATION BRANCH, SOCIAL AND REHABILITATION SERVICE, DHEW, AND (4) MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES DEVELOPMENT BRANCH, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH, DHEW. COMPARATIVE FUNCTIONAL PROFILES OF EACH UNIT WERE DEVELOPED, BASED ON EXTENDED STAFF INTERVIEWS, AND REVISED TO CONSTITUTE A CONSENSUS 'SELF-PORTRAIT.' IN A SECOND PHASE OF THE PROJECT DATA ON THE RESEARCH UTILIZATION NETWORKS OF TWO OF THE UNITS WERE OBTAINED THROUGH MAILED QUESTIONNAIRES. SUBSEQUENTLY TWO 'INTERFACE CONFERENCES' WERE CONVENED INVOLVING SUBSAMPLES OF THOSE SURVEYED IN EACH NETWORK STUDY. THE AUTHORS DEVELOP A THEORETICAL MODEL WHICH DESCRIBES A RESOURCE-USER PROBLEM-SOLVING DIALOGUE WITHIN WHICH IT IS POSSIBLE TO ANALYZE ALL FUNCTIONS AND ACTIVITIES OF D&U AGENCIES. COMMUNICATION NETWORK MAPS ARE PRESENTED WHICH INCLUDE TYPES OF INFORMATION, MEDIA, AND FLOW AMONG KEY SUBGROUPS. OTHER FINDINGS: (1) RESEARCH INFORMATION IS RARELY USED OR SOUGHT IN CRISIS SITUATIONS, (2) ATTITUDES TOWARD D&U ARE DOMINATED BY FOUR IDEOLOGIES TERMED 'LINKAGE,' 'USER-CENTERING,' 'RD&D,' AND 'CAPACITY'; (3) THE MOST IMPORTANT PROCEDURAL ELEMENTS IN THE D&U SYSTEM AND THE MOST CITED TARGETS FOR SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT ARE (A) LINKAGE, (B) ADEQUATE DIAGNOSIS OF THE REAL USER NEED, AND (C) CAREFUL PLANNING AND ORGANIZING OF THE D&U SYSTEM IN THAT ORDER. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)...TWH