The development of participatory management in supervision : an evaluative study

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:The study is focussed on the evaluation of the development ofparticipatory management in supervision. The motivation for thestudy was, firstly, the increasing transformation of supervisionto a more managerial form whereby social workers are guided inthe fulfilment of their professional obligations; secondly, thatsocial workers and supervisors expressed an increasing desire andwi 11 ingness to share the responsibi 1 i ty of managing directpractice through participation.The research was conducted within the conceptual framework ofdevelopmental research. The investigation of the existing stateof supervision was undertaken by means of a literature study, aswell as a quantitative-and qualitative survey among supervisorsand their supervisees. This survey was also used to evaluate howdevelopments in the theory and practice of participatorymanagement was being brought into supervision.The probability that participatory management would continue tobe implemented and developed in practice is high, since it isbedded in a scientifically-sound conceptual basis derived fromauthoritative literature and empirical support.Practising supervisors and supervisees can continue to applyparticipatory management in the ongoing reformation andrestructuring of their management of direct practice. It couldalso contribute towards the improved quality of direct practice.The implementation of participatory management should go'beyondorganisational limits. It should extend to the profession'saccountability to the wider client system, which should be madeaware of changes in the approach to direct practice managementin the form of greater participation between seniors andsubordinates.It is regarded as essential that participatory managementapproaches be subjected to tests to determine their efficacy,validity, and reliability as practice methods in supervision.Follow-up evaluation would help in the further development ofparticipatory management in supervision. Further research withregard to participatory management is necessary with the view tomaintaining its features in conformity with contemporary trendsin the continuous reconceptualisation of management theory andpractices.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University