SPR803 Organization and Culture of Social Services

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2013
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 12 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
prof. PhDr. Libor Musil, CSc. (lecturer)
Mgr. Ladislav Otava, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. et Mgr. Lenka Dvořáková, Ph.D. (assistant)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Kateřina Kubalčíková, Ph.D.
Department of Social Policy and Social Work – Faculty of Social Studies
Supplier department: Department of Social Policy and Social Work – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Sat 9. 3. 12:45–14:15 P51 Posluchárna V. Čermáka, Sat 13. 4. 12:45–14:15 P51 Posluchárna V. Čermáka, Sat 11. 5. 12:45–14:15 P51 Posluchárna V. Čermáka
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
  • Social Work (programme FSS, N-SP)
  • Social Work (programme FSS, N-SP, specialization Communal Social Work)
  • Social Work (programme FSS, N-SP, specialization Case Social Work)
Course objectives
Students become known with the core concepts and theories on understanding the interrelation between organizational culture and the approach of social workers to their clients. At the end of the course, students should be able to interpret their own knowledge about their own practice in social work as social construct and as an element of the culture of specific organization.
Syllabus
  • The course is devoted to the following topics and issues: 1. Basic concepts: „social work services“, „organization“ a „culture“, „dilemmas of the work with clients “, „Ways of coping with dilemmas“ and „approach to clients“ as a an element of organizational culture.
  • 2. Managing uncertain working conditions (by Lipsky).
  • 3. „Double bound”, “participant” and “observer” perspective (by Laan).
  • 4. The power of managers and professionals in organization (by Howe).
  • 5. “Collective unconsciousness” (by Tavistock Institute of Human Relations).
  • 6. „Keeping frames” and the “learning organization theory“ (by Argyris and Redmond)
  • 7. Research on the approach to clients in terms of organizational culture.
Literature
  • REDMOND, B.: Reflecting on Practice: Exploring Individual and Organizational Learning through a Reflective Teaching Model. In: Gould, N., Baldwin, M. (eds.), Social Work, Critical Reflection and the Learning Organization, Ashgate, Aldershot 2004.
  • ARGYRIS, CH., SCHÖN, D.A. Organizational Learning II. Theory, Metod, and Praktice. Addison-Wesley, Reading – Massachusetts tec. 1996.
  • MUSIL, Libor. Coping with Dilemmas. Working Conditions and Interactions of Social Workeres with their Clients. Stassfurt: ISIS, 2006, 130 pp. Comparative Social Work Science Vol. 6. ISBN 80-7326-090-5. info
  • NEČASOVÁ, Mirka and Libor MUSIL. PRACOVNÍ PODMÍNKY A DILEMATA POMÁHAJÍCÍCH PRACOVNÍKŮ (WORKING CONDITIONS AND DILEMMAS OF WORKERS IN HELPING PROFESSIONS). Sociální práce|Sociálna práca. Brno: ASVSP, 2006, vol. 2006, No 3, p. 57 - 71, 14 pp. ISSN 1213-6204. info
  • MUSIL, Libor. "Ráda bych Vám pomohla, ale ..." Dilemata práce s klienty v organizacích. ("I would like to help you, but ..." Dilemmas of work with clients in organisations.). Brno: Marek Zeman, 2004, 243 pp. ISBN 80-903070-1-9. info
  • GEERTZ, Clifford. Interpretace kultur :vybrané eseje. Translated by Hana Červinková - Václav Hubinger - Hedvika Humlíčková. Vyd. 1. Praha: Sociologické nakladatelství, 2000, 565 s. ISBN 80-85850-89-3. info
  • LAAN, Geert van der. Otázky legitimace sociální práce :(pomoc není zboží). Translated by Eva Kušová. Vyd. 1. Boskovice: Albert, 1998, 260 s. ISBN 80-85834-41-3. info
  • The unconscious at work : individual and organizational stress in the human services. Edited by Anton Obholzer - Vega Zagier Roberts. 1st pub. Hove: Brunner-Routledge, 1994, xviii, 224. ISBN 0415102065. info
  • MARTIN, Joanne. Cultures in organizations : three perspectives. New York: Oxford University Press, 1992, xi, 228 s. ISBN 0-19-507163-8. info
  • GOFFMAN, Erving. Asylums :essays on the social situation of mental patients and other inmates. 1st pub. London: Penguin Books, 1991, 336 s. ISBN 0-14-013739-4. info
  • HOWE, David. Social workers and their practice in welfare bureaucracies. Aldershot: Gower, 1986, vi, 174 s. ISBN 0-566-05091-9. info
  • LIPSKY, Michael. Street-level bureaucracy :dilemmas of the individual in public services. New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 1980, xviii, 244. ISBN 0-87154-526-8. info
Teaching methods
Specific themes are presented in a form of professional lectures. Students discuss individual themes and findings from the literature in the seminars. During the curse students create paper devoted to the selected street-level bureaucrats´ dilemma in any public and social policy organisation and explain reasons of workers´ chosen method of its solution. Participation on lectures and seminars, pass an assay and proof likewise the homework are the preconditions for the course graduation.
Assessment methods
The course consists in lectures, writing and essay and collective consultations concerning essays. The course is completed by exam which consists in passing test and elaborating essay on the question: „How used to social workers in selected organization cope with their selected dilemma and what is the meaning of the way of coping in their eyes?”
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2020.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2013, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2013/SPR803