In traditional North American Indian societies, decisions are made by consensus rather than by authorities. Americans for Indian Opportunity (AIO), an organization concerned with the issue of tribal governance, considers poor communication and disagreements about issues of power, resources, and recognition to be among the causes for conflict…

As a model for long-range planning and problem-solving, the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska is responsive to the needs of the tribal community as well as to Indian traditional values. The tribe has grown from a $6,000 budget in 1965 to todays' multimillion dollar enterprise. In 1980 the Tribe implemented a plan for socioeconomic self-sufficiency to…