Social Work Administration

Emmanuel C. Drewery, RSW, MPA, DPA

I. Review of Key Concepts
II. Understanding Organization
III. Management Theories
IV. Management Functions
V. Supervision
VI. Filipino Work Values
VII. Essential Management Skills
VIII. Policy Making
❖State of well being of people
in society
❖This is primarily a set of
government programs
intended to address the needs
of the public and improve the
well being of people.
❖ “The organized system of social services
and institutions designed to aid individuals
and groups to attain satisfying standards
of life and health.
❖ It aims at personal and social relationships
which permit individuals the fullest
development of their capacities and the
promotion of their well-being in harmony
with the needs of the
community”(Willensky, Harold L. and
Lebeaux, Charles N. Industrial Society and
Social Welfare 1958 )
Residual – social welfare is temporary, offered
during emergency situations, and withdrawn
when the regular social systems are again
working properly.

Institutional – social welfare is seen as a

legitimate function of modern society that
provides services as citizen’s rights

-Mendoza, Social Welfare and Social work

1. Restorative – restoration of impaired capacities
which may either be curative/remedial, and or/
rehabilitative.
2. Preventive – prevention of social dysfuntion
Dysfunction – the condition, which is normally
disruptive, when social systems do not
function well or cannot interact well with each
other. It can be on a personal level, family, or
even societal level.
3. Developmental – provision of individual and
social resources aimed at enhancing capacities
and promoting growth
 A structure by which it organizes and
delegates its responsibility and tasks and
governing policies and procedures that
stabilizes and systematizes its operations
 Established as a result of community’s
concern to meet certain needs of people.
 It’s mission, goals, visions, programs and
services are set up to address these needs
 Employs staff to carry out its functions;
social worker represents both the agency
and the profession
 1. Governmental or public agencies –
organizations supported by public funds
or taxes.
 2. Private or voluntary agencies –
organizations supported by private
contributions or donations or income from
services.
 3. Semi-government or quasi-government
organizations- receive some form of
subsidy, either in cash or kind, from the
government.
 “process, method and set of
relationship”

 “the process of defining and

attaining the objectives of an
organization through a system of
coordinated and cooperative effort”
Amethod of SW concerned
with the provision and
distribution of societal
resources with the primary
purpose of enabling certain
types of client systems to meet
their needs and fulfill their
potential.
 a process of working with people in ways
that release and relate their energies so that
they use all available resources to
accomplish the purpose of providing
needed community services and programs
(Trecker, 1971)
 It involves the elements of leading,
planning, coordinating, organizing, staffing,
monitoring, and evaluating. (Leones, 2012)
1. Policy Refers to the development, establishment and
formulation adoption of certain guidelines to be observed in the
operation and implementation of programs and
services
2. Planning and The process of setting specific goals and objectives
Programming and the means and resources for accomplishing these
3. Organization Defines the work units and the relationship of one to
the other
4. Staffing Is the process of acquiring, developing and
maintaining a competent workforce to accomplish the
functions and objectives of the organization.
5. Directing Is the continuous task of making decisions and
embodying h\them in specific and general orders and
instructions in order to achieve or accomplish the
agency’s goals and objectives.
6. Controlling Constraining, coordinating and regulating actions in
accordance with plans for the achievement of
specified objectives.
7. Coordinating The process of interrelating the various parts of the work
of an agency so that if functions as a whole.

8. Communication That phase of managerial process that transmits ideas

from one person to another for use in the performance of
managerial functions
9. Budgeting Is the process of developing the agency’s plan of action,
expressed in monetary terms, within a given period

10. Recording and This refers to the written account of what is being done or
Reporting has been accomplished to attain the agency’s purpose;
the record refers to the act of communicating to pertinent
others within the management scheme, the substance or
synthesis of the first.
11. Public Relations Is the continuing effort to effect a harmonious adjustment
or relationship and mutual understanding between the
institution and its public
12. Evaluation and Is the assessment of the effectiveness of the agency’s
Research programs and services in achieving its objectives

13. Supervision Is the act of overseeing the work of another in order to

improve its quality
 is the keystone for maximizing the
effectiveness of social work programs in
the solution of social problems and in
the betterment of social conditions for
all people.
 provides the framework for social work
practice that relates it to other agency
functions.
 The quality of social work practices is
greatly influenced by social work
administration.
“consists of certain functions
performed by social workers at all
administrative levels within human
organizations which are designed
to facilitate the accomplishment of
organizational goals.”

Robert W. Weinbach (5th ed. 2008)

“the process of making a plan to
achieve some end, organizing
people and resources to carry out
the plan, encouraging and helping
workers who are tasked to perform
the job, and then evaluating the
results.
“Social Workers are committed to providing
the BEST possible services to clients.”

Management when performed well at all

levels, contribute greatly to achieving this.
Thus, it is an important part of Social
Work practice that deserves careful
attention of all present and future Social
Work practitioners.”
ADMINISTRATION VS MANAGEMENT
Concerned with Deals with
the determination execution of
of the agency’s agency policies by
welfare policies, which the workers
and sets up a perform certain
framework within tasks towards
which the policies achieving agency
will be executed goals
 Attempts to view the organization as a
unified, purposeful system composed
of interrelated parts.
 Gives managers a way of looking at an
organization as a whole and as part of
the larger, external environment
 Systems theory tells us that the activity
of any part of an organization affects
the activity of every part.
 As an organizational process, it is
composed of 4 elements:
◦ input (material, human, time & other
resources),
◦ conversion process (technological and
managerial process),
◦ output (products/services) and
◦ feedback (reaction from internal/external
environment)
CONCEPT DESCRIPTION
Subsystem The parts that make up the whole of a
system
Synergy The whole is greater than the sum of its
parts. It means that as separate
departments within an organization
cooperate and interact, they become
more productive than if each had acted in
isolation
Open and A system is considered open if it interacts
Closed with its environment; it is considered
Systems closed if it does not.
CONCEPT DESCRIPTION
Systems Each system has a boundary that separated it from its
Boundary environment. In a closed system, the boundary is rigid;
in an open system, the boundary is more flexible.
Flow A system has flows of information, materials and
energy (including humans).These enter the system
from the environment as inputs (raw materials, for
example), undergo transformational processes
within the system (operations which alter them), and
exit the systems as outputs (goods and services).

Feedback This is the key to system controls. As operation of the

system proceed, information is fed back to the
appropriate people or perhaps to a computer so that
the work can be assessed and, if necessary, corrected.
➢ “It is a group of two or more
people that exists and operates
to achieve clearly stated,
commonly held objectives.”
(Plunkett and Attner, 1995)

➢ Social entities that are goal

directed, designed as deliberately
structured, coordinated systems
and linked to external
environment.
 ELEMENTS OF ORGANIZATION

STRUCTURE
LEADERSHIP
GOAL

TASKS

RESOURCES
 Those parts of the organization's
environment that are “relevant or potentially
relevant to goal-setting and achievement .”
(Dill:1958)
 “Any persons, organizations, or groups on
whom the HSO is dependent for goal
achievement and who has the potential to
support or interfere with its efforts.”
 Commonly known to Social Workers
as STAKEHOLDERS.
 Organization as a process means the
setting up of the individuals and
functions into productive relationships
and aimed towards the accomplishment
of certain common objectives

 The cooperative spirit among the

employees working together is more
important than the organizational
structure itself.
 the pattern or network of relationships between
the various positions and the individuals
holding such position.
 is the set of formal, planned relationships
between the physical factors and personnel
required for the performance of these functions
(Davis & Filley)
 Vertical Chart – this shows the
position of authority at the top
with different levels in a horizontal
position and the functions running
vertically.

Horizontal Chart – This shows the position

of authority on the left side and presents
the different levels in a vertical position
while the functions are shown horizontally.

Circular Chart – This shows the

position of authority from the middle
of the circle and the functions flow
from the center.
Simple
 Formalization is not required

 Members can carry around organizational charts in

their heads
 Set of completely flexible relationship with low
levels of complexity resulting from limited
differentiation
 Open to direct informal coordination and
supervision
 Tasks are determined by management decree or by
simple mutual agreement
ex. family, gangs, peer group
Network
 Based on the idea of a social structure of
interactions
 Open communication and reliable partners
(both internally and externally) are key
components
 Are less hierarchical (more flat), more
decentralized and more flexible than other
forms of organization
 Ex. Facebook, ABSNET
Adhocracy
 Characterized by an adaptive, creative,
and flexible integrative behavior based
on non-permanence and spontaneity.
 Allows the organization to respond faster
than traditional bureaucratic
organizations while being open to new
ideas
 Ex. Task force COVID, transitional team
Divisional
 Large organizations can segregate large
sections of the agency’s core functions
into semi-autonomous groups
 Groups formed are focused upon a
narrow aspect of the agency’s programs
and services
 The groups formed under this structure
are mostly self managed
 ex. DSWD and other line agencies
Functional
 Usually, the members have specialized tasks
or specialized skills
 The structure is based on specialization of
members

Teritorial
 Organizations are divided into semi-
autonomous groups based on geographical
jurisdictions
Matrix
 Combines functional and
divisional, and/or territorial
structure
 Ex. DSWD
A. SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT

Robert Owen (1771-1858). Manager of several

cotton mills in Scotland. He conceived the
manager’s role as one of reforms. He built better
housing for his workers & operated a company
store where goods could be purchased cheaply.
 Refused to hire children under the age 10. Reduced
the standard working days into 10.5 hours.
 Stressed the fact that the manager’s best
investments were the workers.
A. SCIENTIFIC
MANAGEMENT

Charles Babbage (1792-

1871)
 He was an early advocate
of the division of labor
principle
 Our modern assembly
line is based on his idea.
Frederick W. Taylor (1856-1915)
 the father of “scientific
management”
 His perception of human beings
is the that of an “economic man”
or “machine” man
 Relied primarily on methods of
reward
 Placed great emphasis on the
selection and careful training of
workers
 Phrase commonly remembered is
“one best way”- the best way to
bring workers to full productivity
can be identified.
Henry L Gantt (1861-1919)
 Originated a charting systems for production
scheduling called the Gantt Chart which is still being
used today.
Henry Fayol (1841-1925).
B. ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGEMENT
evolved from the writings of Henry Fayol (1841-
1925). He is a French industrialist who
believed that there are certain management
principles that are universally appropriate for
higher administrative levels in different
settings: These 14 principles are:

1. Division of labor – Fayol believed that

specialization will produce more and better
work without increased effort.

2. Authority and Responsibility (Delegation of

authority) – Authority (the right to give orders
and expect obedience) is closely related to
responsibility. Responsibility is a natural
consequence of authority. A manager not only
possesses but encourages others to accept
responsibility.

3. Discipline – This is a part of the “contract”

between workers and employers and is
absolutely essential for the smooth functioning
of the organization.
4. Unity of Command – an employee should
received instruction and should be
accountable to only one boss (should report
to only one supervisor).

5. Unity of Direction – A group of activities that

are designed to achieve the same objective
should have one plan (and one leader).

6. Subordination of individual interest to the

general interest – Fayol believed that such
human characteristics as selfishness and
laziness could produce an organization in
which self-interest would take precedence
over the best interest of the organization
unless supervision, certain agreements , and
firmness and the examples of superiors
precluded it.

7. Remuneration – it should be fair and,

whenever possible, satisfactory to both
employer and employee. He advocate for
bonuses and profit-sharing.
8. Centralization – Fayol viewed centralization as
always present (to a greater or lesser degree)
within an organization. However, he believed
that the balance between centralization and
decentralization should vary based largely on
the characteristic of the managers and their
subordinates.

9. Scalar chain (Hierarchical or Scalar principle) –

Fayol believed that strict adherence to the
chain of command could cause problems,
especially when prompt communication is
required. He suggested that organizations
sometimes need to create shorter, more direct
route that are more efficient for communication
flow, even if they do not coincide with the chain
of command. Men are organized in groups
under leaders with ascending and descending
levels of authority .

10. Order – everything and everyone in an

organization needs to be in its proper place. He
placed great emphasis on matching employees
to appropriate positions , so that, employees
would find themselves in a job where they
could make their greatest contributions.
11. Equity – Fayol viewed fairness as being more
than justice based on convention. He
stressed the need for common sense and
kindliness in making decisions that would be
perceived as fair.

12. Stability of tenure of personnel – Fayol

observed that prosperous firms tend to be
stable; they tend to have relatively little staff
turnover. He advocated job security through
such methods as the granting of tenure or
permanent employee status. However, he
also recognized that problems that could
result if too large a proportion of an
organization’s employees were tenured and
became secure in their jobs.

13. Initiative – Fayol recognized the importance

of managers promoting initiative among
employees of an organization. But he
believed that this must be balanced by
respect for authority and discipline.

14. Esprit de corps. Fayol valued harmony with

in an organization. He believed that it
should be promoted by the managers.
Mary Parker Follet (1868-1993)
 developed Fayol’s idea but went
further by stressing the
importance of psychological
and social factors in the practice
of management.
 defined management as "the art of
getting things done through people”
 The social work manager is more
likely to feel more at home with
Follet’s work than that with
others.
Lilian M. Gilbreth (1868-1972) –
Her doctoral thesis –The
Pyschology of Management –
was published in the Industrial
Engineering Magazine
 She focused her attention on
ways of promoting the welfare
of the individual worker. To her,
scientific management has one
ultimate aim: to help workers
reach their full potentials as
human being.
 With her husband, they
developed a 3-point position
plan for promotion:
 (1) a worker would do her/his
present job,
 (2) prepare for the next highest
one, and
 (3) train his or her successor, all
at the same time.
C. Bureaucratic Management

 The personality most associated

with bureaucracy is Max Weber
(1864-1920).
 For him this is the ideal
organization because it promised
a high degree of both efficiency
and control.

Bureaucracy is an organizational
design constructed along certain
principles that are believed to
promote efficiency. These
principles are:
1. A vertical hierarchy – the person on top is
the boss; power decreases at each
respective lower level of the hierarchy.
Everyone’s behavior is monitored by
somebody else.

2. Well-defined guidelines that limit

functions – rules are widely used. A
bureaucracy will make frequent use of
methods such as procedure manuals, job
descriptions and even decision-making
rules to govern and control behaviors
when no other formal guidance exits.

3. Promotion and other rewards based on

demonstrated technical competence- “Do
your job well and you will be rewarded, “
often with promotion to the next level in
the organization’s hierarchy.
4. Formal, rigid, communication
channels – there is strict adherence to
the chain of command in
communication (and in other
activities).
5. Job security for full-time employees –
“Do your job and you cannot be fired.”
6. Division of labor – People have very
specific jobs to do. They know exactly
what their job entails and so does
everyone else.
7. Emphasis on written documentation –
“When in doubt, always put it in
writing.”

A bureaucracy is very logical. Its strict

adherence to rather impersonal,
unresponsive principle makes it a
natural for many human service
organizations.
D. Modern Structuralists
 Described the organization as heavily
influenced by its outside environment
 Structuralist theorists believe that there is
inevitably a lack of goal congruence among
persons who work in an organization. This
inevitably results in conflict.
 Conflict can have positive function as it
identifies and solves problems.
 The important function of the manager at all
levels is the control and management of
conflict.
E. Human Relations Approach
 Stresses the complexity of human motivation
 Social needs, are viewed as important
influences in a person’s productivity and
attitude toward work.
 Unlike the structuralists, human relations
writers do not see conflict as inevitable within
organizations. It occurs frequently but
responsive management can prevent much
of it by creating an environment that
promotes open communication and trust.
F. Contingency Approaches
 This approaches to management
argue that there is no one best way
or no correct decision that will
work for all situations.
 Different situations require
different decisions and managerial
behavior.
 This is quite relevant to social work
management needs.
G. Participative Management

 The manager believes that human beings are

more productive , more loyal, and more
trustworthy if they are granted a role in
decision-making in areas that affect them
and their jobs.
 It believes that that it is easier to promote a
desirable “team” atmosphere by requiring
groups rather than individuals to examine
issues and make decisions.
 Organizations that employ participative
management methods often use labels such
as “Quality Assurance Team” or “Executive
Management Team”
 In 1960, Douglas McGregor
formulated Theory X and
Theory Y suggesting two
aspects of human
behaviour at work, or in
other words, two different
views of individuals
(employees): one of which
is negative, called as
Theory X and the other is
positive, so called as
Theory Y. According to
McGregor, the perception
of managers on the nature
of individuals is based on
various assumptions.
 Variations of Participative
Management:
◦ Theory Z - is an approach to
management based upon a
combination of American and
Japanese management philosophies
and characterized by, among other
things, long-term job security,
consensual decision making, slow
evaluation and promotion
procedures, and individual
responsibility within a group
context.
◦ Theory Z was first identified as a
unique management approach by
William Ouchi. Ouchi contrasted
American types of organizations
(Type A) that were rooted in the
United States' tradition of
individualism with Japanese
organizations (Type J) that drew
upon the Japanese heritage of
collectivism.
 Total Quality Management (Continuous
Quality Improvement or Total Quality
Control) – theoretical inputs came from
the work of W.E. Deming

◦ TQM is initiated by the leadership

within the organization
◦ It employs a more equal distribution of
power for decision-making
◦ The customer (client) plays an
important role
◦ The basic premise of TQM is that
quality of products (services in human
service organizations) should be
defined by the needs and wishes of the
customers (clients).
◦ TQM emphasizes continuous
improvement and the elimination of
defects within an organization and its
activities
 TQM is “holistic”. Ersoz identified seven elements
that all must be present for an organizations to
function effectively as a system: organizational
philosophy, vision, strategy, skilled personnel,
resources, reward system, and organizational
structure.

 TQM is very popular to many social workers

because it has a democratic flavor consistent with
our professional value system; it is very consistent
with both “client-centered treatment” and the
practice principle of “beginning where the client is.”
It also involves a problem-solving process which is
systems-oriented

 It is designed to empower staff at all levels , as well

as its clients.
(Social Work Administrative Functions)
A.Planning
➢ Answers the organizational questions
of “why, what, how, who, when”
➢ A course of action that generally
involves the matching of needs and
responses or organizational intentions
and resources capability
➢ Concerned with defining goals for
future organizational performance and
deciding on the tasks and resources
needed to attain them
STRATEGIC PLANNING
 a disciplined effort that
produces fundamental
decisions and actions that
shape and guide what an
organization is, who it serves,
what it does, and why it does
it, with a focus on the future.
B. Staffing
 Involves acquiring, maintaining and
developing a pool of competent workforce in
to accomplish with maximum efficiency and
economy the function and objectives of the
organization.

 Acquiring-recruitment, selection, placement

 Maintaining-transfer,promotion,salary
admin.,benefits,turnover,separation
 Developing-enhancing employee skills,
abilities, performance
 The Staff Menu
1. Professionals People who, through extensive formal preparation
in a program of advanced study, have acquired a
specialized mix of knowledge, values, and skills
as well as credentials that allow them to perform
certain highly skilled work. Other criteria include:
maintenance of certain ethical standards,
decisions not based on self-interest, etc.
2. Pre-professionals People who aspire to be professionals and who
have met most (but not all) of the prerequisites for
becoming professionals. Because they lack the
required academic degree or some other
credentials; they are not allowed to do some of
the same work that professionals can do .
3. Paraprofessionals People who have undergone specialized
education and training that has prepared them to
perform some of the tasks once reserved for
professionals.
4. Indigenous People who lack the formal education and
nonprofessionals credentials of professionals, and, except in rare
instances, of paraprofessionals. However, they
have life experiences and/or a cultural
identification that makes them especially well-
suited to relate to certain clients and their
problems.
5. Support staff People who are unskilled or semi-skilled
employees who perform certain needed task
within the organization (e.g. secretaries,
custodians, maintenance workers, etc.). They
do not offer direct services to clients, but
facilitate the work of others who offer them.
6. Volunteers People who, for a variety of reasons, offer their
time and services without pay. They can be
used to perform a wide variety of tasks within
an organization dependent upon their
education, experiences and willingness and the
needs of the organization.
C. Controling
 “The work of constraining,
coordinating and regulating action
in accordance with plans for the
achievement of specified
objectives.
 The Control Menu
1. Plans Structures that have been put in place to shape future events
within an organization; formal guides for action designed to
constrain by defining what is acceptable and unacceptable
staff behavior.
2. Training Planned socialization designed to standardize staff behavior
through a mixture of didactic instruction and structured
experiences.
3. Staff Regular, periodic and structured feedback vehicles designed
Performance to offer positive reinforcement for desirable behavior and ti
Evaluation discourage undesirable behavior.

4. Information Planned sharing of knowledge designed to help staff to

understand (and thus avoid) what constitute undesirable
behavior
5. Advice Outwardly non-directive suggestion from a superior to a
subordinate that are design to change behavior in a relatively
non-insulting manner
6. Directives Orders or overt instructions expressed verbally or in writing
that are designed to communicate clearly and unequivocally
what a subordinate is to do, say, etc.
7. Negative Punishments or penalties imposed when an
sanctions intolerable staff behavior occurs that was previously
forbidden.
8. Loyalties Staff allegiance to some group or organization that
may result in desirable behavior or exceptional
dedication.
9. Staff Commitments based upon certain strongly held belief
idealism system (e.g. altruism) that may result in desirable
behavior or exceptional dedication.
10. Beliefs and ethical principles that are consistent with
Professional those of one’s profession. They generally are
values acquired or reinforced through a process of
socialization that takes place as part of one’s
professional education.
11. Natural The phenomenon by which certain organizational
consequence behavior tend to modify themselves over time
s through no efforts of the manager.
12. Manager’s The phenomenon through which staff behavior is
example modified as a result of observing and attempting to
emulate the behavior of the manager.
D. Coordinating
 Collaboration and cooperation
 Process of making people or things
work together for a common goal
 Result is harmonious functioning
of interrelated parts
E. Recording/Reporting
 Process of capturing data or
translating information to a formal
storage medium
 Reports- are information needed
by organizations culled from
prepared records
F. Budgeting
 Process of transforming goals into
realities
 Preparing a blueprint of the
organization expressed in
monetary terms
G. Monitoring and Evaluating
 Process of determining and
assessing the extent of attainment
of set objectives, implementation
gaps, strengths and weaknesses
 The results of this process become
basis for decision making
H. Supervision
 “an administrative and educational
process used extensively in social
agencies to help social workers
further develop and refine their
skills, enhance staff morale, and
provide quality assurances for
clients” (Baker, 1999)
H. Supervision
 Art of enabling workers and other staff
who have direct responsibility for carrying
out some of the agency’s program plans,
enhanced by the expressive-supportive
leadership function of a designated staff
member to make the best of their ability
so that they can do their job more
effectively with increasing satisfaction to
themselves and the agency
1. Administrative Function – involves assigning cases
to workers, reviewing case plans, and discussing
progress of individual cases; other administrative
tasks.
2. Educational Function –aiding workers by helping
them improve their knowledge and skills, establish
priorities among work tasks, and develop increased
self-awareness. They also orient the workers to
both agency policies and SW values.
3. Supportive Functions – helps workers in negotiating
the system; provides emotional support to the
supervisees who otherwise are usually
overwhelmed by various stresses that occur in their
work.
1. Administrative supervision should be fair and
impartial and should be consistent with
appropriate standards and practices.
2. Good supervision constantly stresses the need for
high quality and ethical client services.
3. Good supervision provides both practical
assistance and role model for staff.
4. Supervisors should stress the need for
professionals to base their work on available
knowledge (evidence-based practice) and to be
active in their regular, on-going evaluation of
their practice effectiveness.
5. It should create a climate for problem-solving in
which errors can be candidly discussed in a non-
threatening climate.
1. Use of Perceptors. Although ideally, it might
be best for a staff member to be supervised
by a person who is from the same discipline
but sometimes, this is not always possible.
A small portion of the task of supervision
can be “framed out” to the who assumes the
role of “perceptor”.
2. Group Supervision. The primary supervision
still rests with the supervisor, yet it allows
some supervisory responsibilities to be
shared by peers.
3. Interdisciplinary Supervision. This may be
gleaned as a combination of perceptorship
and group supervision. This uses
interdisciplinary teams of persons from
various disciplines.
4. Remote Supervision. When there is no
possibility of on-site supervision, it can
sometimes be done through e-mail and voice
messaging or through fax and telephone. For
this “virtual supervision” to be effective,
however, it must be thoughtfully
implemented and necessary technical support
provided.
1. Simple misunderstanding between Supervisor and Supervisee. This is
usually due to miscommunication (hearing without listening, selective
listening, filtering & blocking.
2. Supervisors who take credit for your work. At times, a supervisor might
not give you the credit you think you deserve for your work or may take
credit for what you have done.
3. Supervisory incompetence. The “Peter Principle” states that employees
tend to rise in an administrative hierarchy until they reach their level of
incompetence. There are supervisors who do not have the necessary
skills and expertise to do the job.
4. Laziness. This is similar to incompetence. These can both exist in the
same supervisor. Either way, you probably will not get the help you
need.
5. Problem with Delegation. Delegation means assigning responsibility or
authority to others. Non-delegating supervisors are the opposite of the
lazy supervisors. They are often workaholics whose problem is that they
do not trust anyone, including their own supervisees, to do the work well
enough.
6. Inability to Deal with Conflict. Some supervisors do not feel comfortable
about confronting supervisees, so he or she simply doesn’t do so.
1. I’ll Be Nice to You if You’ll Be Nice to Me.
This games involves a supervisory
relationship in which both parties are afraid
to give any negative or constructive feedback.
They avoid real issues by complimenting each
other. This is fake interaction.
2. Therapize Me. This game involves the
supervisor delving into the worker’s personal
life and issues. This is inappropriate. If
workers need counseling, they should receive
it outside their agency setting.
3. Good Buddies Do Not Evaluate. This game usually
entails a supervisor who feels uncomfortable
holding a superior position over workers. In order
to avoid having to sit down and evaluate worker’s
performances; the supervisor becomes friends,
and, in effect, personal equals with workers. A
worker needs a supervisor, not a friend, to keep
her or him on track.

4. Of Course I Know More than You Do. This is a

game of one-upmanship. Either the supervisor or
the worker consistently reveals that he knows
more than the other.
5. Poor Helpless Little Old Me. In this game the
employee dependently leans on the
supervisor for almost everything. In essence,
the worker plays dumb. She asks the
supervisor to validate almost everything she
does. S/he manipulates the supervisor into
doing all the thinking for her. When s/he
makes a mistake, the supervisor is to blame.

6. Information is Power. The game occurs when

one or the other in the supervisory
relationship withholds information.
7. Labeling the Psychological Ploy. This game
requires a supervisor or worker to avoid
salient issues by labeling them as
psychological ploy.

8. Pose Questions to Answer Questions. This

game is used to sidetrack real issues. Instead
of answering the question, a worker or
supervisor answers with another questions.
Example: (Employee) “Can I take Friday off?”
(Supervisor): “What will happen if I let the
whole unit off on Friday?”
Pakikisama (Introjection). Filipinos usually say “mabuti
na ‘yung nakikisama” by doing something good for
others.
 Since the Spaniards stayed longer in the Phils., they
had greater influences over the Filipinos than the
Americans. A group of students were interviewed
during merienda time in one of the snack houses at
Teresa St., Sta. Mesa. “Why are you carrying the tray
for the whole barkada while they just remain seated,
chatting and giggling?” The girl retorted, “Well there’s
nothing wrong with what I am doing. After all they are
my friends and mabuti na ang nakikisama.”

Pakikitungo (Compensation). We observed in a snack

house along Teresa St., Sta. Mesa that though the
place was not very pleasant and attractive, still it was
full of customers because the saleslady received them
with warmth and enthusiasm. The customers tend to
invite more friends and patronize the place. The
charisma of the saleslady was the magic ingredient.
Pampalubag-loob (Abrecation). Filipinos are very fond of
bargaining (tawad or dagdag) at the stores. These are
invitations to the customers to come back and are
privileges given to regular customers. (Carino)

Salitang pag-iwas (Evasion Suppression). We hide the truth

from friends when we have no money. Instead we create
a lot of reasons for not joining them at lunch. “I will not
join you for lunch because I ate my lunch at home before
I left for school.” The truth is one has no money. This is
her way of avoiding embarrassment.

Gaya-gaya, Hawa-hawa (Introjection-Projection). “Pare-

pareho na lang tayo” expresses one Filipino value. One
group of students was interviewed about why they
ordered the same kind of menu. They said that there was
a long queue and that it would take time if they had
different orders. Besides it was better if they had the
same order so that they would eat the same food. “All for
one, one for all.”
Utang na loob (Compensation). Because somebody has done
something good to somebody, he will reach out to
reciprocate as soon as he can. A friend one day bought
merienda for himself and for a friend. The next day, the
other friend returned the favor.

Bayanihan (Sublimation). Bayanihan is predominantly found in

rural places where people are ready to extend helping
hands to those in need. During harvest season in the rural
areas, workers are not paid in terms of money. They use the
bayanihan system. When a family transfers to a new
neighborhood, the new neighbors provide help for free.
This is a beautiful Filipino value that must be preserved and
handed down through generations.

Pamamagitan (Transferences). In every argument, somebody

has to act as the mediator (tagapamagitan). This third party
is important. By nature, Filipinos are emotional and hot-
tempered. A catalyzer is needed to calm down both parties
and prevent any further complications in the argument. As
in boxing, there is always a referee who acts as an
intermediary to prevent further argument.
Fiesta Grande (Sublimation/Fixation). This kind of culture was
handed down to us by the Spaniards. For example, we have the
inclination to serve lavish foods during fiestas in spite of meager
income. Sometimes we tend to resort to borrowing with high
interest just to be able to create the impression that the family
can afford to serve delicious food during fiestas.

Hiya (Fixation/Self-blame). Some freshman college students are

embarrassed to ask their classmates what they want. They would
rather stay mum because of hiya. Shyness is one of the serious
problems of our college students. Their learning is hampered
because being shy inhibits them from speaking up. Their ability
to communicate and share their ideas and express their creativity
is all put to waste. However, among the present generation,
especially those born in the cities and Metro manila, this trait of
shyness is gradually disappearing.

Kapangyarihan (Fixation/Sublimation). Moneyed people can easily

have power and authority. The underdogs submit to the powers
that be. People with power tend to dominate others and abuse
their authority by taking advantage of the weaknesses of others.
Nowadays, there are many of us who have split personalities.
Some people have principles only in theory. When they are faced
with situations favorable to them, they forget their principles.
Patriotism (Sipsip). Boot-licking is practiced by many
Filipinos. It is common to give gifts during fiestas,
birthdays, and special occasions to gain some
blessings from the powers-that-be. Promotions,
increase in salaries, recommendations for merit,
scholarships, better accommodations, and privileges
are some of these blessings.
 People enjoying high administrative positions have
many rewards. They are surrounded with people who
praise them lavishly, are loyal to them, wait for their
command, emulate them, and give them consideration
and sympathy. Such people form what called a
cordon sanitaire. It is their responsibility to maintain
the respect of the people for their masters and to
maintain esteem.

Pagsasabukas (Evasion/Rationalization). Avoid the habit

of procrastination. Time is gold. Time spent will never
come back. Do today what you can do because
tomorrow might be too late.
Ningas-cogon (Energy Deflation). Enthusiasm is high at the
early stage of work. It accelerates and after it has reached
the climax when there is no more excitement and
challenge in the job, the interest in the job dies down.

Siya Kasi (Scapegoat, rationalization, blame). This usually

happens in a disastrous situation. One is always looking
for someone to put the blame on. “Siya naman talaga ang
may gusto niyan ,tumulong lang ako.”
Bahala na (Come what may). When situations become
problematic and one cannot seem to analyze the facts
and find solutions to the problems, one usually says
“Bahala na”.

Amor propio (Egoism). “I only go to classy restaurants,”

states a social climber who wants to have an elitist
status, though this feeling of grandeur is only the
product of his imagination.
Policy-making
 What is a Policy?
 A definite course or method of action selected (by
government, institution, group or individual) from
among alternatives and in the light of given
conditions to guide and, usually, to determine
present and future decisions.
 Policy is a formal documented statement of
intentions and sets of actions of an
organization/authority to either remove certain
deficiencies or improve the conditions in any
particular area of concern/interest such as housing
shortage, food crises, water contamination,
growing poverty etc.
 “Policy is a decision-making framework or course
of action to achieve a desired effect or change.”
Policy and Law
 Policies are only  Laws are the tools that
documents help a government
 A policy is that which achieve their objectives
outlines what a  Laws are the standard
government is going to rules and regulations
do and not to do that are compulsory and
 Policies can be called a to be followed by all the
set of rules that guide people of the country
any government or any
 Laws are set of
organization.
principles that guide
 Policies are objectives
people’s actions in
that an organization or a
various situations of life
 Agency policy may specify the
agency’s structure, the
qualification of supervisors and
workers, the rules governing
what workers may or may not
do and the proper procedures to
follow for complementing an
assessment.
 Agency Policy may address in greater
detail how agencies can implement
social welfare policy. It can iron out
the wrinkles and specify rules
regarding how agency staff should
work within their individual agency
setting. Agency policy can also
address questions about how the
agency runs on a daily basis.
AGENCY LEVEL
 Macarov (1995) provides an example that
illustrates the policy development process –
namely, the development of and change in
policy governing provision of financial aid to
needy children and families. The value
assumption upon which the policy was initially
based was it is most desirable for children to
remain in their own homes, cared for by their
own parents rather than being
institutionalized.
1. Recognition Identification of
Identification of
of society’s problems and
Public Opinion
values needs

Implementation Formulation of
Agency service
through a social Social Welfare
delivery
welfare program Policy
The first phase involves recognizing
society’s values about what is
considered important or not
important, worthwhile or not.
Absolute values are hard to pin
down because of the tremendous
number of people we’re talking
about
 Case example, For the purpose of illustration,
we will start with the value that children are
generally best cared for within their own
families. The task of identifying society’s
values become more complex because values
also change over time. For instance the value
that children should remain in their own
homes might be superseded by the value that
all parents should work to support their
families.
 The problem related to our example is poverty
and the poor people’s inability to provide
adequate care for their families. Although the
societal value is that children should remain in
their own homes, the problem is that a
significant number of parents, mostly single
mothers who are primary care givers for
children, lack resources to provide their
children with adequate care. What should be
done to address this problem?
 The third Phase of the policy process involves
the identification of public opinion about an
identified problem and people’s related
needs. Society current values tend to guide
public opinion concerning what should be
done and what should not. Public opinion
reflects values but involves more specific
recommendations about what should be done
to put these values into action. Values held by
the majority serve to sway public opinion in
that direction.
 Inthe fourth phase of the
social policy process,
legislators confronted with a
problem or need and swamped
with public opinion undertake
the complicated formulation of
social welfare policy to
address the issue.
Popple and Leighninger (2001) commented:
 Many people think that once a policy is enacted,
the process of alleviating a problem is well under
way and implementation is simply a matter of
carrying out a clearly specified program and
initiative.
The implementation phase is generally a time of
filling in the detail through regulations, personnel
procedures, program Guidelines, and other
specifications, all of which further shape the policy
 The details of implementation constitute the
closest part of the policy world for social work
practitioners.
 The sixth phase of the social
welfare policy development
and implementation process
involves agency service
delivery by social workers and
other staff in the context of
social service agencies.
 SW Review materials from Columban College,
UP, ASI