Two Perspectives on Organizationally-Inspired Barriers to Innovation in Schools of Social Work: Short and Long Term Strategies to Promote National Minority Group Representation

Authors

R. Louis McNeely, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
John Oliver, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee

Abstract

This paper focuses on conditions conceived to militate against innovation and change in organizations adhering to administrative principles found often in many workplaces. While these principles are not peculiar to schools of social work, these schools are singled out along with two related problems identified often by persons employed in these schools as ones for which few effective innovations have been implemented. These problems center upon how these schools may best achieve an adequate representation among faculty members, of minority group staff, and an adequate representation of substantive course offerings focusing upon the experiences of national minority group members. The authors suggest that several administrative principles basic to the organization of most schools of social work preclude the development of an organizational milieu capable of satisfying key work related needs of staff. Elimination of these basic organizing principles results in a more satisfying work setting that promotes quality staff relationships for all staff as well as a setting viewed to enhance the willingness of non-minority faculty to respond positively to the introduction of minority staff and content. Second, the authors propose further that immediate steps requiring little change in the organizing principles of schools may be taken to promote appropriate representation of both minority- related content and minority group staff. This latter strategy amounts to a short-range solution to solve problems associated with minority group representation through the manipulation of rewards viewed as associated with but not fundamentally related to the work satisfaction of social work faculty and staff. In contrast to the former strategy, this second strategy treats the basic organizing principles of these schools as a constant and, while requiring less time for implementation, does not move schools of social work toward humanistic organizational patterns,

Recommended Citation

McNeely, R. Louis and Oliver, John (1978) "Two Perspectives on Organizationally-Inspired Barriers to Innovation in Schools of Social Work: Short and Long Term Strategies to Promote National Minority Group Representation," The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare: Vol. 5: Iss. 4, Article 6.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15453/0191-5096.1298
Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jssw/vol5/iss4/6