Publisher's Synopsis
Part One of the book sets the scene. The first chapter discusses the reasons why computerisation has been so unsuccessful in the past and then explores a range of issues which need to be addressed in the future if computerization is to be successful. Chapter II looks at personal responses among social workers and investigates different responses from social work agencies. - - Part Two deals with conceptual, organisational and policy issues. Chapter III tackles the issues of identity and education: What is IT? What is social work? and what is the relationship between them? Chapter IV briefly dips into organisational theory and then explores the difficulties and contradictions of computerising a hybrid, part rational, part natural systems organizational structure. Policy issues are explored in Chapter V. - - Part III is explicitly practical. Chapter VI deals with the implementation of information technology in the social services: management issues; staff involvement; resource requirements; and information needs. Finally, chapter VII looks at IT in action in the social services, explicitly exploring IT innovations of direct use to social work practice which are up and running and of demonstrable benefit.
