| dc.description.abstract | Abstract
Title: Critical norms and values to provide welfare services at civil society organizations in the context of the Salvation Army in Norway
Author: Sudarat Thongphab
Word count: 18,327
This master's thesis extended the knowledge of norms and values that can influence workers' and service users' needs in everyday practice. The research hypothesized that the Salvation Army could provide services that respond to the needs of service users wider due to high levels of flexibility and autonomy. This study investigated the research question in identifying values and norms to test the hypothesis. It adopted an interview technique and observation as a complementary tool to explore workers' worldviews. The hybridge thematic analysis was applied to analyze the data-driven model based on the previous knowledge of flexibility and autonomy and to inductively further understand other possible variables that emerged in the data. The investigation resulted in three themes of individual, organizational, and broader levels having significant influences. The individual and organizational levels identified norms and values such as personal influences, freedom to practice and offer services, and trust as a ground basis to be critical. Although shown little obvious evidence, the broader level has significant impacts on everyday practice at the organization. The differences in individual, organizational, and external factors shape daily routine at civil society organizations. Hence, there are limitations to what extent this study can apply the findings on critical norms and values in providing services to other civil society organizations. The results drew essential attention to how social work practice at civil society organizations can reinforce new energies and motivations for service users.
Keywords: flexibility and autonomy, civil society organization, norms and values | |