Navigating Human Service Organizations: Essential Information for Thriving and Surviving in Agencies

273 Pages·2020·10.403 MB·English

by  Rich Furman, Margaret Gibelman, Ren Winnett

Navigating Human Service Organizations

Navigating Human Service
Organizations
Essential Information for Thriving
and Surviving in Agencies
FOURTH EDITION
RICH FURMAN, UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, TACOMA
MARGARET GIBELMAN, YESHIVA UNIVERSITY
REN WINNETT, UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, TACOMA
1
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Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Names: Furman, Rich, author. | Gibelman, Margaret, author. |
Winnett, Ren, 1968– author.
Title: Navigating human service organizations : essential information for
thriving and surviving in agencies / Rich Furman, University of Washington,
Tacoma, Margaret Gibelman, Yeshiva University, Ren Winnett,
University of Washington, Tacoma.
Description: Fourth edition. | Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2020. |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2020005143 (print) | LCCN 2020005144 (ebook) |
ISBN 9780197531044 (paperback) | ISBN 9780197531068 (epub) |
ISBN 9780197531075
Subjects: LCSH: Human services. | Organizational behavior. |
Social work administration.
Classification: LCC HV40 .G53 2020 (print) | LCC HV40 (ebook) |
DDC 361.0068— dc23
LC record available at https:// lccn.loc.gov/ 2020005143
LC ebook record available at https:// lccn.loc.gov/ 2020005144
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Printed by LSC Communications, United States of America
To Hammie
You are not a good dog. You are the best.

Contents
Preface xiii
1. Getting to Know the Human Service Organization 1
THE WORK SETTING 2
AGENCY ROLES FOR SOCIAL WORKERS 3
WHY DO WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ORGANIZATIONS? 4
CLARIFYING TERMINOLOGY 6
ETHICAL GUIDELINES 7
SOCIAL WORK AND ORGANIZATIONS: HISTORIC ROOTS 9
CONFLICTS BETWEEN PROFESSIONALS AND ORGANIZATIONS 10
CHANGING CONCEPTIONS OF ORGANIZATIONS 13
SOURCES OF INFORMATION ABOUT ORGANIZATIONS 14
WHAT TO REQUEST 15
KEY POINTS 20
SUGGESTED LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 21
REFERENCES 21
2. Distinguishing Features of Organizations 25
DEFINING HUMAN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS 25
PUTTING THEORY TO PRACTICE 26
TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONS 29
PUBLIC VERSUS PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS 30
BOUNDARY BLURRING: JUSTIFIABLE CONFUSION 34
SELF-H ELP ORGANIZATIONS 37
MISSION 38
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE 45
viii Contents
THE FUTURE 48
GLOBALIZATION: ANOTHER CONSIDERATION FOR THE FUTURE 49
KEY POINTS 50
SUGGESTED LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 50
REFERENCES 51
3. How Organizations Are Financed 55
SOURCES OF FUNDS 56
FOUNDATIONS 57
INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS 58
BIG DONORS 58
FUNDRAISING PRACTICES 60
OTHER SOURCES OF REVENUE 61
MANAGING FINANCES 65
UNWANTED SURPRISES 71
MERGERS 71
KEY POINTS 75
SUGGESTED LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 75
REFERENCES 76
4. Power and Supervision within the Organizational Setting 79
ROLE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS 79
THE JOB OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 82
ATTRIBUTES OF A GOOD CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 83
SUPERVISION 84
DEFINITIONS OF SUPERVISION 85
THE SUPERVISOR 86
THE CODE OF ETHICS AND SUPERVISION 87
THE ROLE OF SOCIAL WORK SUPERVISION WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION 88
THE FUNCTIONS OF SUPERVISION 88
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED IN SUPERVISION 92
ENHANCING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 96
CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION 97
EVALUATING JOB PERFORMANCE 99
KEY POINTS 104
SUGGESTED LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 104
REFERENCES 105
Contents ix
5. The Work Environment 109
THE IMPACT OF MANAGERIAL STYLE 109
THE AGENCY’S WORKFORCE 110
VOLUNTEERS 112
THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT 114
ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AND CLIMATE 115
USE OF TEAMS 118
COMMUNICATION 119
INFORMAL ENVIRONMENT 121
STAFF MORALE 122
KEY POINTS 125
SUGGESTED LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 126
REFERENCES 126
6. Social Work Practice in Host Settings 129
WORK CHALLENGES IN HOST SETTINGS 129
ROLE INCONGRUITY 130
HEALTH CARE SETTINGS AS HOSTS 130
HOSPITAL SOCIAL WORK 131
THE SCHOOL AS AN ORGANIZATIONAL SETTING 133
CRIMINAL JUSTICE 135
THE LEGAL SYSTEM 138
WHEN SOCIAL WORK NO LONGER DOMINATES 140
UNIQUE CHALLENGES 141
KEY POINTS 142
SUGGESTED LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 143
REFERENCES 143
7. Conditions of Work 147
ORGANIZATIONAL POLICIES 147
FORMAL POLICIES CONCERNING EMPLOYMENT 147
LAWS GOVERNING EMPLOYMENT 149
HOW FAR HAVE WE COME? 151
WORKPLACE RULES 153
JOB BENEFITS 160
UNIONS 161
KEY POINTS 163