Perspectives on organizational structure and social services’ work with clients – a narrative review of 25 years research on social services

ABSTRACT

The social services in Sweden are clearly influenced by international development towards organisational specialisation. However, little is known about how organisational structures are associated with the client work of social services. The article presents a narrative research review aimed to summarise and discusses empirical research on organisational structures in the social services and how these structures might influence client work. Building on the tension between specialisation and integration, the article identifies both the advantages and the disadvantages of the different approaches to organising social services along a continuum from high levels of specialisation, via coordination and collaboration solutions, to high levels of integration. The findings suggest that, to function adequately, social service organisations need to combine and balance aspects of both specialisation and integration.

SAMMANFATTNING

Svensk och internationell socialtjänst präglas tydligt av organisatorisk specialisering. Det saknas dock kunskap om hur organisationsstrukturer påverkar socialttjänstens klientarbete. Denna artikel presenterar en narrativ forskningsöversikt med syftet att sammanfatta och diskutera empirisk forskning om organisationsstrukturer i socialtjänsten och hur dessa kan påverka klientarbetet. Med spänningsfältet mellan specialisering och integrering som utgångspunkt, identifierar artikeln både för- och nackdelar med dessa båda organisatoriska principer utifrån ett kontinuum från höggradig specialisering via samordning och samarbete till tydligt integrering. Resultatet visar att socialtjänstens organisation behöver kombinera och balansera olika strukturer utefter kontinuumet mellan specialisering och integrering för att klientarbetet ska fungera ändamålsenligt.

KEYWORDS:

• Social work
• social services
• organizational structure
• specialization
• integration

NYCKELORD:

• Socialt arbete
• Socialtjänst
• Organisationsstruktur
• Specialisering
• Integrering

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Pär Grell

Pär Grell is Doctor and senior lecturer of Social Work at the University of Gävle, Faculty of Health and Occupational Studies. His research focuses on the organisation of social work and client work.

Björn Blom

Björn Blom is Professor of Social Work at Umeå University, Department of Social Work. His research areas are Organisation of social services and client work; Social workers knowledge and professional practice; Evaluation, quality, and results in social work. He has co-authored several books on different topics in social work. Most recent books in English are Social and caring professions in European welfare states: policies, services and professional practices, and Theory for social work practice.

Nader Ahmadi

Nader Ahmadi is Professor of Sociology and Director-General at the Swedish Agency for Work Environment Expertise. His research areas are cultural approaches to identity, sexuality, coping with cancer and the concept of the self. He has also been doing research on different public health questions for example, questions related to doping among the youth. He has co-authored several nationally and internationally published sociological books. Most recent books in English are Meaning-Making Coping: Exploring Ways of Coping with Crisis in an International Perspective and Doping and Public Health.