Administration and Research

Administration One of the major aspects of social work practice. A study of NASW members by Chess, Norlin, and Jayaratne indicated that between l981 and l985 the percentage of practitioners in social work administration increased from 27.8 to Social work administration is the process of transforming social policy into social services and the use of experience in recommending modification of policy.

Administration Social work administration was first addressed by the National Conference of Social Work in Administration was first mentioned as a possible concentration in the 1982 cirriculum policy statement. The most important basic principle of administration is all levels of staff participate in the administrative process.

Administration Supervision is a major part of social work administration that is concerned with helping staff to use their knowledge and skill. Supervision is essentially a teaching function. Consultation is an administrative process which brings together competent persons in an exchange of information Collaboration is a device for making treatment as effective as possible by orchestrating all resources.

Administration A democratic atmosphere in an agency encourages teamwork. Teamwork refers to a staff who can work together. Effective administration is involved with creative use of human resources (board, staff, and volunteers). Administration in social work is usually regarded as a social work method or process.

Research The l992 Curriculum Policy Statement of the CSWE requires ethical standards of scientific inquiry in the research content of MSW programs. Social workers are more likely to be interested in applied research. Social work research is needed to accomplish goals of the profession.

Research Grinnell has identified the following three research roles for social workers: –The consumer of research –The disseminator of knowledge –The contributing partner

Research The scientific method has been formulated into the following paradigm by Polansky: –A researchable problem is located, sharpened, and related to theory; its practical significance is also studied. –The logic by which conclusions will be drawn is specified. –Potential subjects of the study are identified. –Instruments for collecting information from or about the subjects are borrowed from others. –Data are collected. –The data are analyzed statistically. –Results are compared with the problem originally posed so that conclusions may be drawn. –Larger implications for theory and for practice are inferred. –The significant elements of the whole process are summarized into an intelligent report to be disseminated to colleagues.

Research The research method that emphasizes geographical differences in regard to social conditions and problems is an ecological study. The research process utilizing one or a few cases is called a case study. An attempt to study an entire neighborhood or community is called a social survey. The approach to assess program effectiveness is called an evaluation.