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CASE STUDY #7: RESTORING
ORGANIZATIONAL
FUNCTIONING: CHALLENGES
FOR A NEW EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR
JENNY FRILEY-SMITH
SW538
INSTRUCTOR: APRIL MALLORY
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORK

INTRODUCTION
Throughout the career of a Master Level Social Worker there will be instances when the social worker is
given the opportunity to advance into an administrative position, such as Executive Director. Once in
administrative positions, it is the Social Worker’s responsibility to build relationships within the
organization and the community, encourage employees and members of the community to work together
as a group, and to address the concerns and issues of staff members and the population of the community
the organization serves. Like many administrative positions, entering into the position as Executive
Director can often be faced with adversity and conflict that require the executive director to use
organizational assessments and guidance to overcome friction and resistance that may present itself. In
this presentation, you will learn how to apply the assessment of organizational problems and conflicts,
learn how to identify leadership issues, styles, and abilities, and apply the frameworks of organizational
theory, systems theory, and the problem-solving model in order to restore organizational functioning.

SUMMARY
In the scenario provided during the discussion, you as the Master Level Social Worker had just entered into
an Executive Director positon for the Sunbright Community Outreach Center and Mental Health
Rehabilitation Clinic for troubled youth. Upon entering the position, you have discovered the extent of the
unstable working conditions, internal conflict between staff members, loss of clients, loss of relationships
with private donors and insurance companies, and the misappropriation of funds that had occurred over
the course of nine months. The misdeeds of the previous Executive Director led to the turmoil that
currently exists, not only between the board of directors, private donors, insurance companies, the staff
members, but also with the relationship with the community and the clients served. It is your job to
identify and determine the best course of action to remedy the conditions that currently exist at the
Sunbright Community Outreach Center and Mental Health Rehabilitation Clinic, while also discovering your
own ability to develop and utilize your own leadership abilities.

ORGANIZATIONAL THEORY
The Organizational Theory is based on the principle that professional formation can be improved and
strengthened by use of social effort and procedural methodologies. This principle attains that the increase of
efficiency can be used to advance and gain greater performance by referring to a specific range of scientific
studies to classify and influence corporate needs.
There are several areas of Organizational Theory:
Classical Organizational Theory
• Scientific Management Approach
• Bureaucratic Approach
• Administrative Theory
Neoclassical Approach
Modern Approaches
(Natural Resources and Environment, n.d.)

Scientific Management Approach (Taylor, 1947): Approach of devising a plan of work to accomplish greater
performance, standardization, adeptness, and resolution.
Four Principles of Scientific Management:
• Science; not rule-of-thumb
• Scientific selection of the worker
• Management and labor cooperation rather than conflict
• Scientific training of workers

Bureaucratic Approach (Webster): Approach that considers organization as part of a more expansive society.
Five Principles of Bureaucratic Approach:
• Structure
• Specialization
• Predictability and Stability
• Rationality
• Democracy
Many who utilize this approach are considered to be adamant, detached, and self-perpetuating

Administrative Theory (Fayol): This organizational approach is
based on the principles of multiple management techniques,
such as planning, organizing, training, commanding, and
coordinating functions.
The Principles of the Administrative Theory:
· Division of work
· Authority and responsibility
· Discipline
· Unity of command
· Unity of direction
· Subordination of individual interest
· Remuneration of personnel
· Centralization
· Scalar chain
· Order
· Equity
· Stability of tenure of personnel
· Initiative
· Esprit de corps
· The concept of line and staff
· Committees
· Functions of management
- planning
- organizing
- training
- commanding
- coordinating

Neoclassical Approach: Organizational approach that focuses on individual or group behavior and human
connections in order to measure productivity.
Three Principles of the Neoclassical Approach:
• Individual
• Work Group
• Participatory Management

Modern Approach: Organizational approach that focuses on flexible systems that can adapt to changes in the
environment.
Principles of the Modern Approach:
· Systems viewpoint
· Dynamic process of interaction
· Multileveled and multidimensional
· Multimotivated
· Probabilistic
· Multidisciplinary
· Descriptive
· Multivariable
· Adaptive

SYSTEMS THEORY
The Systems Theory is an approach that addresses the influence that organizations, policies, communities,
and groups have on individuals. Systems can be physical and mechanical, living and social, or a
combination all systems (Farley, Smith, & Boyle, 2003).

SYSTEMS THEORY
COMPONENTS
· The individual
· The formal and informal organization
· Patterns of behavior
· Role perception
· The physical environment
LINKING PROCESSES
· Communication
· Balance
· Decision analysis
GOALS OF ORGANIZATION
· Growth
· Stability
· Interaction

PROBLEM-SOLVING MODEL
(Thompson, 2014)

PROBLEM-SOLVING MODEL
The Problem-Solving Model allows organizations to investigate, identify, and correct suspected problems that
may exist by using the following steps:
1. Define the problem
2. Measure the problem
3. Set the goal
4. Determine root causes
5. Select best strategy
6. Implement strategy
7. Evaluate Results
8. Implement appropriate changes in the process
9. Continuous improvement
10. Celebrate
(McNeese, 2017)

RELATIONSHIP BUILDING
Relationship Building within an organization requires:
• Trust
• Mutual Respect
• Mindfulness
• Welcoming Diversity
• Open Communication
(Mind Tools, n.d.)

RELATIONSHIP BUILDING
• Trust- To build trust and create a powerful bond, effectively communicate open and honestly, your
thoughts and actions.
• Mutual Respect- Value the input and ideas of others, work with others, and develop solutions based on
collaborative observation, knowledge, and creativity.
• Mindfulness- Do not let negative thoughts and emotions affect those around you, take responsibility for
your own words and actions, and carefully listen to what others say.
• Welcoming Diversity- When making decisions, consider what other’s say, and accept diverse people and
opinions.
• Open Communication- Stay in open and honest contact with those around you, throughout the day.
This can be done by e-mails, memos, Im’s, face-to-face meetings, and telephone calls.
(Mind Tools, n.d.)

GROUP WORK
To encourage Group Work:
• Create an environment where the insight from others at all levels is valued
• Provide a process and place for multiple ideas and perspectives to be applied to complex problems and issues
• Support collaborative decision-making
• Turn knowledge into logical and practical results that improve the organization's services
• Share knowledge among board members, volunteers and staff, and clients, in order to create intellectual
capital for the organization
• Use communication processes (including technology) to support the sharing of information, knowledge and
experience
("Work Places That Work", n.d.)

GROUP WORK
Continued:
• Generate and accept new ideas and insights from others
• Create new knowledge through working and learning with others
• Create innovation and new ideas that are supported, and have members who listen to diverse points of
view
• Multiply the impact of services while maintaining or reducing the resources needed to do the job
• Promote a culture that questions the status quo and looks for innovative ways to improve services to
reach goals
• Empower diverse individuals, the team, clients, and the organization
("Work Places That Work", n.d.)

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION
As Executive Director, you have the access to community access to listen to the questions, concerns, and
opinions of the community the Sunbright Community Outreach Center and Mental Health Clinic serves.
This allows for you to suggest programs, and initiate change that is community and client oriented to help
improve the area served. Through community organization, citizen’s can voice their concerns, wants, and
needs in a healthy manner, in order to pursue much needed change for the youth of Knoxville.

MICRO PERSPECTIVE
Within the Sunbright Community Outreach Center and Mental Rehabilitation Clinic, your job as Executive
Director is to ensure that the staff you employee delivers the services provided to individual’s and families
is done so in an appropriate and understanding manner. This includes Social Workers, Case Managers, and
Therapists/Psychologists.

MEZZO PERSPECTIVE
As Executive Director, the Mezzo Perspective will be the most engaging. In this positon, you will be
ensuring that the Sunbright Community Outreach Center and Mental Health Rehabilitation Clinic is
supplied with the resources and funding needed to adjust to cultural change, and ensuring that the needs
of clients are understood, met, and addressed.

MACRO PERSPECTIVE
As Executive Director, your position in the Macro Perspective will be to ensure that the Sunbright
Community Outreach Center and Mental Health Rehabilitation Clinic receives the appropriate federal and
state funding, adapts to services geared toward the treatment of the Knoxville community it serves, voice
the concerns and needs of the community, and empower clients by involving them in systematic change.

ETHICAL ISSUES
In this scenario, there are several ethical issues that have occurred. The previous Executive Director not
only abused the authority of his position to misappropriate funds from private donors and payments
issued by insurance companies and clients, but he also mislead the board of directors, mistreated
employees, and denied clients of vital programs they once enjoyed. In the organization, no client was to
be refused services regardless of ability to pay, nor where programs created for rehabilitation and
recreation to be absolved or limited.
It is now your job as the new Executive Director to right the wrong, by reestablishing the programs that
have been absolved, and by reestablishing the tarnished trust and relationships with the community, the
board of directors, the staff, the clients, private donors, and insurance companies.

INFLUENCE
While money, power, and greed can influence an individual in a position of authority, it is always important
to remember that the clients and the community served come first. The well-being of client’s and the
general public should always be top priority, along with fair and equal treatment of employees. Leading by
the Code of Ethics and Ethical Guidelines are vital to being a successful Executive Director.

CONCLUSION
Restoring organizational functioning after an organization has been faced with conflict can be a difficult
task, especially for a newly appointed Executive Director. Being open and honest and developing a healthy
relationship with employees, co-worker’s, communities, and administrative members is essential to
maintaining a position in administration. Once a healthy relationship has been established, continue
communication, and acknowledge ideas, concerns, wants, and needs of those who work under you, and
those your organization serves. Make sure to not only build healthy relationships, but to encourage and
establish group work with employees, private donors, insurance companies, the board of directors, clients,
and the community. It is also vital to use community organization to ensure the needs, wants, and
concerns of the community served are addressed. Know which leadership style works best for your and
the population you serve, and continue to build on leadership abilities.

REFERENCE
Farley, O. W., Smith, L. L., & Boyle, S. W. (2003). Introduction to Social Work . : Pearson Learning Solutions.
McNeese, B. (2017). Problem-Solving Model. Retrieved from https://www.spcforexcel.com/knowledge/process-
improvement/problem-solving-model
Mind Tools. (n.d.). Building Great Work Relationships: Making Work Enjoyable and Productive. Retrieved from
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/good-relationships.htm
Natural Resources and Environment. (n.d.). Organizational Theories. Retrieved from
http://www.fao.org/docrep/w7503e/w7503e03.htm#exhibit 4: fayol's principles of management: administrative theory
Work Places That Work. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://hrcouncil.ca/hr-toolkit/workplaces-team-work.cfm
Picture Reference:
Thompson, M. (2014). Philosophy of Thought & Logic Fall-2014. Retrieved from http://thecollaboratory.wikidot.com/philosophy-
of-thought-and-logic-2014-fall

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