IDENTIFYING AND COMPARING COMPETENCES FOR SOCIAL-WORK MANAGEMENT - A PRACTICE DRIVEN APPROACH

The study explicates a competency-based model of contemporary social w ork management practice and compares this model with frameworks derive d from earlier studies. Using a purposive sample of 184 social work ma nagers throughout the country, an exploratory factor analysis yielded twelve sets of competencies required of today's social work manager. A comparison of the present model to earlier management frameworks reve als that substantive changes in the nature, scope, complexity, and pri orities assigned to management competencies and skills have transforme d the role of the social work manager over the last decade. Implicatio ns for social work education are reviewed and future research directio ns are proposed.