|
Networking is of great concern for community social welfare agencies (social welfare agencies, henceforth) facing an uneasy task of addressing the complex welfare needs of community with limited resources. Notwithstanding its importance, networking among social welfare agencies has never been empirically studied up to date, and, as a result, the lack of knowledge on this subject is apparent. In realizing this lack of knowledge, this study attempts to empirically examine the networking among social welfare agencies in Seoul Area. In addition, the determinants of the centrality of individual social welfare agencies in the network are also investigated. Data analyses show 1) that networking among social welfare agencies is relatively active in those cases where the objects being exchanged through the network require low exchange cost, that is relatively less efforts for negotiation or bargaining between social welfare agencies; 2) that the degree of networking among agencies varies in terms of the objects being exchanged; and 3) that the centrality of individual agencies in the network depends only on the years in operation and the degree of financial independency of the agency. Based on these and other findings, one of the conclusions that can be drawn is that at present, social welfare agencies are engaging in networking yet in a very timid manner. Some suggestions are made for the promotion of networking among social welfare agencies as a means to increase the efficiency in the utilization of limited resources.
|