SPRn8803 Organization and Culture of Social Services

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2020
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 10 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
prof. PhDr. Libor Musil, CSc. (lecturer)
Mgr. Ladislav Otava, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Libor Musil, CSc.
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 7. 3. 9:00–14:00 P21, Sat 25. 4. 14:15–17:30 P21
  • Timetable of Seminar Groups:
SPRn8803/Prezentace_eseje: No timetable has been entered into IS.
Prerequisites
The subject is obligatory part of studying specializations in "universal social work" and "social work micro - advisory work". Students of the other specializations are allowed to enroll the subject as semi-facultative.
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
Course objectives
Students become known with the core concepts and theories on understanding the interrelation between dilemmas of social work withz clients and the approach of social workers to their clients.
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the course student should be able to interpret approaches to clients in terms of social contsructs implied by managing dilemmas of social work with clinets.
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
    required literature
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
    recommended 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.
  • 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
  • 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
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 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2020, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2020/SPRn8803