Outcome studies in the context of organizational inertia and political ideology
Document Type
Book Chapter
Keywords
Concrete Services, Public Child Welfare Agencies, Intensive Family Preservation Services, Integrated Children’s System, Family Support Workers, Learning Organization Approach, Community Treatment Settings, Disability Adjusted Life Expectancy, Quit Rate, Local Evaluators, National Health Plan, Outcome Evaluations, Administrative Data Sets, Social Workers, Intensive Family Preservation Program, Family Reunification Services, Experimental Design Studies, Physical Abuse Cases, Children’s Social Care Services, Mental Health Care
Faculty
Faculty of Community Services, Education and Social Sciences
School
School of International, Cultural and Community Studies
RAS ID
1145
Abstract
In this chapter, the author presents examples from studies that he have carried out in diverse agency settings in Australia and South Africa, to explore how organizational inertia and political ideology affect the outcome research effort. He addresses the use of administrative data sets, study design and measurement, cross-national and cross-cultural differences, and funding in regard to outcome studies. The author also presents a plea for parallel research efforts to reduce the Australian dependence on culturally bound studies from the United States and Britain. A difficulty for researchers in Australia who are interested in quantitative outcome evaluations is obtaining study samples of sufficient size. Major differences in the social context such as how health and education services are funded and delivered in the US and Australia may also influence practitioners’ attitudes toward parents. Of concern is the lack of capacity in community service agencies to commit resources to rigorous research and evaluation efforts.
Comments
Ainsworth, F. (2002). Adjusting to an Australian Research Culture. In: Maluccio, A. (eds) Outcome Studies in the Context of Organizational Inertia and Political Ideology. de Gruyter: New York, USA.