Class 10: Administrative practice overview

UTA SSW, SOCW 5306: Generalist Macro Practice

Professor Dick SchoechCopyright 2004 (permission required before use)

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Summary of Classes 1-10 Generalist macro practice history, change process, roles,

levels of intervention, theories, values, perspectives The community as client Conditions as problems/opportunities, assessing conditions Intervening in social conditions The organization as client (differences, theory)

10. 1Nov04. Administrative practice overview

11. 8Nov04: Assessing organizations

12. 15Nov04. Supervising13. 22Nov04: Leading in organizations and communities §

Schematic of influences on design

Purpose/goals

Politicalforces andinstitutions

Socioculturalforces andInstitutions

Technologicalforces andInstitutions

Economicforces andInstitutions

Tasks People/manager

Structure

Technology

Inputs of resources,policy, theories,values, etc.

Outputs of servicesprovided, behaviorschanged, goals met,rules/ethicsfollowed, etc.

Environment

Influences on Program Design

Internal (from inside the agency)– Structure (focus today)– Tasks (today & class 13)– Goals (concern next week)– Technology (next week)– People (class 12)

External (from agency environment)– Sociocultural (discuss class 14)– Political forces– Economic forces– Technological forces §

Influence Discussed Today

Structure (discuss in this section)

– Structure is the arrangement of staff and committees

– Structure is stable, hard to change, and is heavily influenced by purpose §

Ways to View Structure Large Small organization (think of examples)

One location Many locations--networked

Centralized authority & power Decentralized authority/power

Participatory management Authoritarian: no involvement of workers

Individual work/problem solving Team approach to work/pblm solving

Well defined rules and procedures Informal rules and procedures

Many communication channels Few communication channels

High interaction between workers Low interaction between workers

Single administrative hierarchy Professional & admin hierarchy §

Structure via Organizational Chart Chart shows hierarchy/levels

– Board & subcommittees of boards– Staff committees & task forces– Executives– Administrators– Supervisors– Workers

Chart shows authority relationships §

(see course pack, p. 80)

Types of Organizational Structures Hierarchy (TDPRS)

– 6-8 workers per supervisor, best when you can define what people do & accountability is demanded

Matrix (United Ways)– Workers report to functional & product boss, e.g., case

manager & director of mental health Project management (NASA)

– Flat, many groups, flexible, highly skilled workers, Network (manage care provider or case management)

– Linked, many teams, contracts, partnerships, virtual offices, telecommuting, telecommunications §

See Course Pack reading

Influences on Structure

Favors Bureaucracy Goal = accountability Task = well defined People = low prof Tech = low tech Env = High political One source funds Stable environments

Favors flatter structures Goal = effectiveness Task = ill-defined People = high prof Tech = high tech Env = low political Many sources of funds Changing environments

Working with Boards/Committees

Board must control paid staff Executives must staff board Diversity is critical (via turnover) Training is necessary Rewarded boards by positive press,

meaningful work, and sense of helping §See Tropman book on working with boards

Discussion

Question and answer session