Participatory management in public welfare: what are the prospects?

The author analyzes the experience of a state public welfare agency in developing a series of changes in social services using participatory techniques to involve frontline staff. Based on a survey of administrators, social service workers and supervisors, the study reveals staff attitudes toward policy innovation in the agency and their role in it. Staff unanimously want more of a voice in shaping the policies and procedures which govern their work, but efforts to secure their involvement are frequently unnoticed or unappreciated. The author identifies a number of constraints to implementing a participatory approach.