Are Social Service Managers Encouraging Consumer Participation in Decision Making in Organizations?

Abstract

The participation of social service consumers in decision making in social service organizations is often viewed as an appropriate mechanism for reducing feelings of oppression among residents of low-income communities. However, there is little empirical evidence that nonprofit or public social service managers actively seek to empower service consumers by involving them in organizational decision making. In this paper, the author describes findings from a survey of social service managers about whether specific client empowerment-oriented management activities are commonly utilized.

Keywords:

• nonprofit managers
• empowerment in organizations
• management theories
• leadership styles
• client participation in organizations
• participatory management

Acknowledgments

An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 2006 Conference of the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Associations in Chicago, Ill., on November 16, 2006. The author wishes to acknowledge the contribution of research assistant, Zang Xiong, MSW, in the preparation of this manuscript.