Introduction

The papers in the preceding sections have addressed the management practices and organizational arrangements that appear necessary to the delivery of effective social services. In this section, we turn to the constraints and dilemmas inherent in this approach. Burton Gummer takes a macro view of service effectiveness and suggests that the dominant values in a business oriented society tend to shape the goals of social welfare toward social control and efficiency rather than social change. Moreover, he contends, social work itself is increasingly inclined to adopt a narrow view concept of service which is not well accommodated in publicly supported social care services.