Showing papers in "Administration in Social Work in 1993"
TL;DR: Skills considered important are very similar at all levels of management, although managers of nonprofits had higher expectations for skill level in many areas than did managers at government agencies.
Abstract: A small but important literature discusses which degrees and which skills are "best" for human service administrators. This research surveys current human service administrators to determine their views. The MSW administration degree, while seen as useful at the entry and middle levels of management, falls behind both the MBA and the MPA at top levels. Skills considered important are very similar at all levels of management, although managers of nonprofits had higher expectations for skill level in many areas than did managers at government agencies. Implications for schools of social work are discussed.
79Â citations
TL;DR: This article focused on Black workers, gay and lesbian employees, and older persons, and outlined micro-, mezzo-, and macro-skills and approaches for helping organizations achieve competence in accomodating and managing these diverse groups.
Abstract: In this paper, emphasis is placed upon the fact that America's workforce is undergoing dramatic change and becoming older, increasingly disadvantaged, and more racially and culturally diverse. Employers are struggling to learn how to adapt to these changes and effectively manage this heterogeneity. Focusing on Black workers, gay and lesbian employees, and older persons, this paper outlines micro-, mezzo-, and macro-skills and approaches for helping organizations achieve competence in accomodating and managing these diverse groups.
74Â citations
53Â citations
52Â citations
TL;DR: The early stages in the creation of two self-help organizations and the case of a Rape Crisis Center are discussed in this paper, where the authors assess the potential for organizational change and development in human service organizations.
Abstract: Contents Organizational Change and Development in Human Service Organizations: A Prefatory Essay * Assessing Prospects for Organizational Change: The Uses of Force Field Analysis * Planned Change in Voluntary and Government Social Service Agencies * Correlates of Participation in Neighborhood Organizations * The Interorganizational Coordination of Services to Children in State Custody * The Early Stage in the Creation of Two Self-Help Organizations: An Exploratory Study * Organizational and Community Change Through Participatory Action Research * Organizational and Community Transformation: The Case of a Rape Crisis Center * Organization Development in Public Social Services--The Irresistible Force Meets the Immovable Object * Strategic and Structural Change in Human Service Organizations: The Role of the Environment * Toward a Developmental Approach to Program Evaluation * Reference Notes Included
42Â citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors apply principles commonly found in the management literature, but seldom applied to nonprofit organizations, to examine the affective states and activities of nonprofit organizations and of their two key leadership elements.
Abstract: This paper applies principles commonly found in the management literature, but seldom applied to nonprofit organizations. As open systems, nonprofit organizations are influenced by the different parts of layers of the organization and its environment. We examine the affective states and activities of nonprofit organizations and of their two key leadership elements - the director and the board - and see how all three parts change over time.
39Â citations
TL;DR: In many ways, performance contracting is an idea whose time has come as mentioned in this paper, and the claims made by some human services administrators that performance, in general, and service results and outcomes in particular, cannot be measured simply do not hold any longer.
Abstract: In many ways, performance contracting is an idea whose time has come. The claims made by some human services administrators that performance, in general, and service results and outcomes in particular, cannot be measured simply do not hold any longer. Performance measures and specification in the human services may be inexact and in need of refinement, but they do exist and are constantly being refined and improved.
39Â citations
24Â citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors identify several strategies for managing the departure of an executive and how others might assist in managing the transition, and identify some of the multiple perspectives held by those who remain and those who leave.
Abstract: We identifie some of the multiple perspectives held by those who remain and those who leave. We identifie several strategies for managing the vlountary exit of an executive and how others might assist in managing the transition.
23Â citations
TL;DR: Total Quality Management (TQM) is a philosophy of management that emphasizes the quality of program products and services, self-worth of and empowerment of employees, cooperation and team-building, the systems approach, and the active involvement of contractors as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: Total Quality Management (TQM) is shaping up as the new managerial wave of the 1990s. Unlike previous managerial waves, however, a basic compatibility apperas to exist between the human services, and social work in particular, and TQM as a philosophy of management. TQM emphasizes the quality of program products and services, the self-worth of and empowerment of employees, cooperation and team-building, the systems approach, and the active involvement of contractors.
23Â citations
TL;DR: The purpose of this article is to portray an alternative form of human service management that accepts the premises that "management is the principle engine of progress" (Levitt, 1976) and that management is performance.
Abstract: The political nature of human services is a given. The multiple constituency dilemma coupled with the retrenchment of the 1970s and 1980s has led to a great gulf separating managers from clients, and managers from front-line personnel. These political factors have been reinforced by management theory and the blind adoption of "state-of-the-art" management technologies developed in business and the military, and the separation has gained legitimacy. The result is less than optimal service, a dissatisfied workforce, and continued attacks for being inefficient, self-serving, and ineffective. The purpose of this article is to portray an alternative form of human service management. Its vision places clients center stage in our organizations and places the manager as the director and producer. It accepts the premises that "management is the principle engine of progress" (Levitt, 1976) and that management is performance. It then lays a foundation for client-centered management by presenting four principles for social service administrators who desire to adopt this perspective in their daily practice. An elaboration of the skills and methods of client-centered management can be found in a recently published text (Rapp & Poertner, 1991).
Journal Article•
TL;DR: The Texas Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities provided an opportunity to test several technology-based system change strategies when it funded a project to develop, implement, and evaluate a model for integrating technology into a community service delivery system as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: System change is often a goal in human services. However, high costs usually prevent the testing of new strategies for changing a community's human services delivery system. The Texas Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities provided an opportunity to test several technology-based system change strategies when it funded a project to develop, implement, and evaluate a model for integrating technology into a community service delivery system.
TL;DR: An analysis of the component costs of adult day care programs in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania indicates widely varying experiences in terms of fiscal and contractual administrative arrangements.
Abstract: An analysis of the component costs of adult day care (ADC) programs in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania indicates widely varying experiences in terms of fiscal and contractual administrative arrangements. Medical model ADC, program-funded services, and those agencies performing their own client assessments reported higher client per diems than the social model, slot-funded, and non-ADC assessed programs. For-profits displayed cost characteristics similar to their not-for-profit counterparts. Medical and slot-funded programs more frequently turned to multiple sources for budget supplementation. All program types tended to depend on voluntary client contribution methods as compared to means-tested approaches when determining fee-for-service.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors assess empirically, in a case study of a child protective services division of a public welfare department, the perceptions of a sample of managers, supervisors, and workers regarding PDM.
Abstract: Subordinate participation in organizational decision making (PDM) has been a major subject in the human services literature. The purpose of this research was to assess empirically, in a case study of a child protective services division of a public welfare department, the perceptions of a sample of managers, supervisors, and workers regarding PDM.
TL;DR: The authors found that women and men social work managers are quite similar in their use of time and their perceptions of the priority of various organizational goals.
Abstract: The purpose of this research was to determine if men and women social work administrators can be distinguished from one another by their work behaviors or their attitudes about work priorities. In addition, this prior question is addressed: To what degree is the state of knowledge in social work administration based on research that excludes women managers? Data from two independent samples of directors of hospital social work departments are examined as well as seven years of empirical research published in Administration in Social Work. The authors found that women and men social work managers are quite similar in their use of time and their perceptions of the priority of various organizational goals. Also, they found that the growing empirical research record is based on samples that consistently included women, and generally more than half of the samples are women. After offering an explanation of the findings, the authors propose a research agenda for those interested in social work administration.
TL;DR: In this article, the integration of services can be achieved by a large number of different mechanisms, technologies and arrangements, and the alternativs presented here provide different avenues from which those who are exploring new structural arrangements for the public human services can select.
Abstract: The integration of services can be achieved by a large number of different mechanisms, technologies and arrangements. The alternativs presented here provide different avenues from which those who are exploring new structural arrangements for the public human services can select.
TL;DR: The authors found that chief executives of state departments of social service, mental health, and corrections possess characteristics similar to other human service managers, however, the major difference from their non-state counterparts is the encompassing and unquestionably political environment in which the state CEOs must function.
Abstract: This research provides beginning evidence that chief executive officers (CEOs) of state departments of social service, mental health, and corrections possess characteristics that are similar to other human service managers. That major difference from their non-state counterparts is, however, the encompassing and unquestionably political environment in which the state CEOs must function.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors looked at some of the approaches employed in dealing with the issue of organizational effectiveness in human service agencies and pointed out some problems inherent in the different designs ofered.
Abstract: This paper looked at some of the approaches employed in dealing with the issue of organizational effectiveness in human service agencies. It pointed out some problems inherent in the different designs ofered. Further, it presented an overview of an organizational approach that centers on improving the performance of the organization by improving the performance of the individual worker.