Managerial Leadership and Service Quality Toward a Model of Social Work Administration

• Published in: Administration in social work Vol. 13; no. 3-4; pp. 73 - 98
• Main Authors: Ezell, Mark, Menefee, David, Patti, Rino J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis Group 15.11.1989; Taylor & Francis LLC
• Subjects: Administration; Adult; Attitude of Health Personnel; Decision making; Female; Health administration; Hospital Departments - organization & administration; Humans; Interdepartmental Relations; Leadership; Male; Middle Aged; Models, Statistical; Organizational behavior; Problem solving; Quality of Health Care; Social services; Social work; Social Work Department, Hospital - organization & administration; Statistical analysis; Statistics as Topic; Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; Washington; Washington
• ISSN: 0364-3107; 2330-3131; 1544-4376; 2330-314X
• DOI: 10.1300/J147v13n03_05

A study examined the association between the importance that hospital social work directors attach to selected managerial behaviors and the quality of services provided by their departments. A proposed model posits that the activities of social work directors exert their influence on the scope and sufficiency of services indirectly through the structure and service supports of the department and through its status and influence. Data were collected by questionnaires mailed to hospital social work directors, with 50 usable responses obtained. The findings supported the model, with the single exception that interacting with hospital officials had both a direct and indirect effect on scope and sufficiency. The management activity of decision making and problem solving had a positive effect on the status and structure of the department, but planning and coordinating and managing conflict had negative effects on both. Decision making and problem solving were considered the highest priorities and the most time-consuming activities.