Unit rationale, description and aim

Fundamental to Social Work is the need to understand organisational contexts in which professional practice takes place. This unit will develop students' ability to analyse organisational contexts in which their professional practice and/or scholarship takes place. The nature, processes, and impact of organisational change on service delivery and management will be critically analysed. Emphasis will also be given to the role of information technology in contemporary social service work. Students will be encouraged to draw on their experiences of working in organisations, in particular the agencies in which they have undertaken their field placement. This unit aims to support students' in developing advanced knowledge of how organisations deliver services, and skills in identifying areas of unmet need and to explore how they will approach working collaboratively with colleagues from a range of professional backgrounds and disciplines.

2025 10

Campus offering

No unit offerings are currently available for this unit

Prerequisites

Nil

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

Integrate relevant organisational theories in anal...

Learning Outcome 01

Integrate relevant organisational theories in analysing a range of organisational contexts
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC3, GC7

Critique the impact of organisational change on so...

Learning Outcome 02

Critique the impact of organisational change on social work workforce and service delivery
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC2, GC8, GC9

Demonstrate skills of collaborative practice in wo...

Learning Outcome 03

Demonstrate skills of collaborative practice in working with consumers and professionals from a range of disciplines and skills in identifying areas of unmet need
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC4, GC6, GC8

Analyse the organisational construction of social ...

Learning Outcome 04

Analyse the organisational construction of social work practice, including the central role of information technologies in practice
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC7, GC8, GC10, GC11, GC12

Evaluate the impact of various organisational cult...

Learning Outcome 05

Evaluate the impact of various organisational cultures and structures on the delivery of services to consumers and communities
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC6, GC7

Critically reflect on the interface between social...

Learning Outcome 06

Critically reflect on the interface between social work ethics and organisational ethics
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC2, GC7

Content

Topics will include:

Introduction to Organisational Practice

  • Understanding organisations
  • Organisational construction of social work practice 
  • Collaborative practice
  • Interdisciplinary practice

Organisational Cultures

  • Organisational structures
  • Defining organisational culture
  • Influence on social work practices
  • Leadership and management styles;
  • Teams and team building 
  • parallel teams 
  • consultative teams
  • collaborative teams
  • co-ordinated teams
  • multi-disciplinary teams 
  • interdisciplinary teams
  • integrated teams 

Organisational Change

  • Change theories
  • Bureaucracy, managerial, technocratic theories
  • Systems and functionalist theories
  • Culture and communication theories
  • Human relations theory
  • Critical theories
  • Postmodern theories
  • Change processes
  • Change and resistance in organisations
  • Organisational change models
  • Social workers as “change managers‟ and facilitators of change
  • Responding to client/service user and community need

Planning and Strategic Development 

  • Strategic planning
  • Goal setting

Human Relations 

  • HR issues and workplace bullying

The Role of the Social Worker in Human Service Organisations

Challenges to workers

  • Organisational analysis against principles of 
  • efficiency
  • effectiveness
  • evaluation,
  • excellence
  • Maintaining professional identity
  • Working collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams
  • Working collaboratively with consumers in service development
  • Working collaboratively with a range of government and non-government services
  • Identify areas of unmet need 


Assessment strategy and rationale

Three assessment approaches are utilised in this unit. The first, an Organisational Analysis requires students to apply the concepts they are learning to an organisation that they have direct experience of through their field placements. The second assessment enables students to think more broadly and conceptually about the nature and application of collaborative practice in organisations.  The final, an in-class test, provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of key organisational theories and application to practice settings.

Overview of assessments

Organisational analysis: enables integration of r...

Organisational analysis: enables integration of relevant organisational theories in analysing  organisational culture and context.

Weighting

40%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO5

Collaborative Practice task: students further dev...

Collaborative Practice task: students further develop and apply understanding  of collaborative practice

Weighting

40%

Learning Outcomes LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5, LO6

In-class test: demonstrate understanding of key o...

In-class test: demonstrate understanding of key organisational concepts and theories  

 

Weighting

20%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2, LO4, LO5, LO6

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

Teaching and learning strategies for this unit will include lectures, small group discussions, and/or Canvas online activities. A number of complex, organisational case studies will be presented to students to give them the opportunity to explore a range of approaches to working effectively in organisations  and engaging effectively with colleagues. In order to benefit from interactive learning activities and to achieve learning outcome 3, which requires the demonstration skills of collaborative practice, a minimum tutorial attendance of 80% is required in this unit. 

AASW Graduate Attributes

On successful completion of this unit, students should have developed an ability to:

Standards/Attributes/Criteria

GA1 -  Demonstrated sense of identity as a professional social worker

GA2 - Sound understanding of and commitment to social work values and ethics to guide professional practice

GA3 - Ability to apply social work knowledge and interventions to respond effectively in meeting the needs of individuals, groups and communities in diverse settings, client groups and geographic locations

GA4 - Ability to apply knowledge of human behaviour and society, as well as the social, cultural, political, legal, economic and global contexts of practice to respond effectively within a human rights and social justice framework

GA5 - Ability to review, critically analyse and synthesise knowledge and values and apply reflective thinking skills to inform professional judgement and practice

GA6 - Ability to apply research knowledge and skills to understand, evaluate and use research to inform practice and to develop, execute and disseminate research informed by practice.

GA7 - Demonstration of effective communication and interpersonal skills

GA8 -  Ability to work with diversity and demonstrate respect for cultural difference

AASW Practice Standards (2013)

This unit has been mapped to the ACU Graduate Attributes, AASW Graduate Attributes and the AASW Practice Standards. The following table sets out the broad relationship between the Learning Outcomes, ACU Graduate Attributes, AASW Graduate Attributes and the AASW Practice Standards


Standard/Attributes/Criteria

Standard/Attributes/CriteriaLearning Outcomes

4.2 Understand and articulate social work and other relevant theories and concepts

1

4.2 Understand and articulate social work and other relevant theories and concepts

4.4 Understand and articulate how and when theories, knowledge bases and knowledge sources inform practice 

2

1.1 Practices in accordance with the Code of Ethics

3.1 Work respectfully and inclusively with cultural difference and diversity

3.2 Respect, strive to understand and promote the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their cultures

5.4 Apply critical and reflective thinking to practice

3

4.2 Understand and articulate social work and other relevant theories and concepts

4.4 Understand and articulate how and when theories, knowledge bases and knowledge sources inform practice

6.1 Effectively communicate with a diverse range of people.

6.3 Effectively work with others in a team environment

5.2 Work collaboratively with relevant people

3,4

6.4 Use information technology to communicate and provide services as appropriate

5.4 Apply critical and reflective thinking to practice

4,5

4.1 Understand higher level systemic influences on people with respect to an area of practice

4.4 Understand and articulate how and when theories, knowledge bases and knowledge sources inform practice

6

4.1 Understand higher level systemic influences on people with respect to an area of practice

4.4 Understand and articulate how and when theories, knowledge bases and knowledge sources inform practice

5,7

1.1   Practice in accordance with the Code of Ethics (2010)

1.2   Manage ethical dilemmas in practice

2.1 Represent the social work profession with integrity and professionalism

5.4 Apply critical and reflective thinking to practice

6,8

Representative texts and references

Representative texts and references

Gray, I., Field, R., & Brown, K. (2010). Effective leadership, management and supervision in health and social care. Exeter, UK: Learning Matters.

Gursansky, D., Kennedy, R., & Camilleri, P. (2012). The practice of case management. Sydney, Australia: Allen& Unwin.

Hattford-Letchfield, T. (2010). Management and organisations in social work (2nd ed.). Exeter, UK: Learning Matters.

Hughes, M. & Wearing, M. (2017). Organisations and management in social work (3rd ed.). London: Sage

Lambley, S. (2010). Proactive management in social work practice. Exeter, UK: Learning Matters.

Lipsky, M. (2010). Street-level bureaucracy: Dilemmas of the individual in public services. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

McDonald,C., Craik,C.,Hawkins, L. & Williams, J. (2011). Professional practice in human service organisations, Sydney, Australia: Allen & Unwin.

Ozanne, E., & Rose, D. (2012). The organisational context of human service practice. Melbourne, Australia: Palgrave Macmillan.

Thompson, N. (2013). People management. London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Weinberg, R., & Taylor, L. (2015). Social worker as manager (7th ed.). Boston: Pearson Higher Education.

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