Critical Issues for Planned Change in Human Service Organizations: A Case Study and Analysis

This article discusses the critical issue emerging in the implementation of change strategies designed to improve the effectiveness of human service delivery systems. A review of the literature supports the notion that human service organizations have been largely ignored in the development of change and intervention theories. As a result, little specific information is available regarding the implementation of improvement strategies in human service delivery systems. The article describes the process by which change was intro duced and implemented in a human service organization. Entry activities, data collection techniques, the action planning process, and the evaluation procedures used in the present intervention are discussed. The article concludes with a dis cussion of the differences in implementing planned change in human service, as opposed to business and industrial, organizations. Suggestions, theoretical guidelines, and a model are provided for future interventions.