De bureaucratische omknelling van het maatschappelijk werk

Samenvatting

A study of the dangers of the bureaucratization of social work. The characteristics of a bureaucracy as defined by Max Weber are outlined, and it is stated that all these characteristics are to be found in Dutch social work. This is at least partly due to the growing specialization of this kind of work; even experts require the aid of other experts. The result of bureaucratization is that social work becomes increasingly impersonal; the clients become 'cases' which are to be 'dealt with.' The trend towards bureaucratization causes tensions and frustrations which are inherent in any bureaucratic setup; their primary cause is a discrepancy between ideology and reality. Attempts have been made to bridge this gap through measures such as a decentralization of social work. Informal alternatives to bureaucracy have been created, but they, in turn, succumb to bureaucratization. The bureaucratization of social Work can best be understand within the general framework of the bureaucratization of society as a whole. I. Langnas.