The Concepts of Effectiveness and Efficiency Applied to the Social Work Profession: An Historical Perspective

Abstract

This paper explores the concepts of effectiveness and efficiency as the central focus of the historical evolution of services, agencies, and schools of social work. Early professionals developed these concepts and used them to establish agency programs, social justice oriented supervision, training programs, and schools of social work. These leaders perceived a dynamic tension between agencies and schools that warrants rediscovery amid the current agency/school dissension and the renewed concern with deficiencies in social work practice.