Neoinstitutionalism and the appropriation of bourdieu's work: a critical assessment

Despite the still present hegemony of the structural-functionalist orthodoxy, the mid 1980's witnesses the insurgence of new philosophical approaches. This body of work had become a vital intellectual and ideological resource for those who wanted to confront the functionalist dominance in organization studies, such as structuration theory, labour process theory and neoinstitutionalist theory. The purpose of this paper is to review the incorporation of Bourdieu's work into neoinstitutionalism. I argue that this appropriation has resulted in a significant loss of theoretical strength. By giving place to the cognitivist metaphors of mental models, "scripts" and "schemas", instead of adopting the notion of habitus, neoinstitutionalism reinforces some of the ever-present dichotomies in social sciences, especially those of agency/structure and individual/society. While neoinstitutionalism was refining the cognitive approach in the 1990's, Bourdieu was moving towards psychoanalysis. Some indications for future research are provided in the concluding notes.

Interaction between information systems and work in the Brazilian banking sector

This article presents the results of a research to understand the conditions of interaction between work and three specific information systems (ISs) used in the Brazilian banking sector. We sought to understand how systems are redesigned in work practices, and how work is modified by the insertion of new systems. Data gathering included 46 semi-structured interviews, together with an analysis of system-related documents. We tried to identify what is behind the practices that modify the ISs and work. The data analysis revealed an operating structure: a combination of different practices ensuring that the interaction between agents and systems will take place. We discovered a structure of reciprocal conversion caused by the increased technical skills of the agent and the humanization of the systems. It is through ongoing adjustment between work and ISs that technology is tailored to the context and people become more prepared to handle with technology.

Continuing and life-long education for Social Work

Pretende defender que a educação contínua e ao longo da vida para o Serviço Social deve levar em conta os caminhos e as perspectivas que ultrapassam a arena da profissão do assistente social, e essa educação deve dialogar com os avanços nas vidas e nos trabalhos profissionais. Os assistentes sociais podem desta maneira moverem-se entre a prática, a gestão, a política profissional e a educação. Desde a experiência pré-qualificadora até à reforma, a avaliação e a supervisão podem ajudar a desenvolver caminhos profissionais e planos de educação relevantes. O exemplo deste processo de educação contínua multiprofissional em St. Christopher’s Hospice London pode ajudar a compreender como as pessoas podem desenvolver-se como pessoas e nos seus projectos profissionais.

Current issues in Social Work Theory

São aqui analisados os discursos sobre as tendências gerais na teoria de Serviço Social. Estes discursos sobre o papel do Serviço Social são tratados no contexto da sociedade, bem como do cliente -assistente sócial -agência. A teoria da prática representa um discurso entre as perspectivas de Serviço Social nos seus aspectos transformacionais, terapêuticos e de ordem social. São também abordadas as suas várias combinações e interacções em todo o tipo de prática e organização de Serviço Social. O discurso sobre a eficácia baseia¬se em estudos comprovados da construção social, potenciação (empowerment), e realismo crítico ainda polémico. A prática reflectiva e crítica constitui os modelos actuais que interligam a teoria e a prática.

The Challenges of Globalisation and Harmonisation for European Social Work

A globalização tem provocado alterações importantes na educação e na prática de Serviço Social. Estas têm a ver com a privatização, dependência do mercado, e a “nova gestão”. Estes factores determinam a resposta dos assistentes sociais aos clientes e a maneira como são tratados como empregados. Os formadores de Serviço Social devem integrar nos seus currículos os elementos associados com a globalização, os conhecimentos e as competências necessárias para a prática em contextos diversificados, e a potenciação (empowerment) dos clientes. É um desafio que está aberto para os planeadores da formação em Serviço Social. A União Europeia tem todo interesse em avançar com uma globalização inclusiva, solidariedade social e justiça social através de Serviço Social relevante. Existem todavia muitos obstáculos que precisam de ser previstos, contornados e ultrapassados.

Social Work in the Portuguese empire Health Services

Muitos historiadores, particularmente estrangeiros, que vêem Portugal “de fora”, têm-se mostrado críticos do mau desempenho do império colonial português.Aintolerância religiosa, uso excessivo de força para conseguir o monopólio de especiarias, são alguns aspectos que mereceram críticas mais duras [Devo admitir que fui eu um destes críticos!] mas quase sempre bem fundamentadas e difíceis de rejeitar. Mas é preciso admitir que a história colonial portuguesa é também feita de elementos positivos e menos violentos. Os portugueses devem ser considerados pioneiros de assistência social através das suas políticas inovadoras que providenciaram cuidados para os doentes e desgraçados, embora estas políticas não abrangessem os sujeitos não-Cristãos do império.

Recensao de: I. K. Healy, Social Work Practices: Contemporary Perspectives on Change, London, Sage, 2000.

Revista Lusófona de Ciências Sociais

Recensão de: Adams, Roberts; Dominelli, Lena and Payne, Malcolm (Eds.), Social Work Futures: Crossing Boundaries, Transforming Practice, Hampshire, Palgrave, 2005.

Revista Lusófona de Ciências Sociais

Health education: the role and functions of the specialist and the generalist

Education for health is a process in which all public health and medical care personnel are involved. People learn both formally (planned learning experiences) and informally (unplanned learning experiences). Since the patient, the client, the consummer and the community expect public health and medical care personnel to assist them with health and disease issues and problems, the response of the professional "educates" the customer whether the professional intends to educate or not. Therefore, it is incumbent on all public health and medical care professionals to understand their educational functions and their role in health education. It is also important that the role of the specialist in education be clear. The specialist, as to all other specialists, has an in-depth knowledge of his area of expertise, i.e., the teaching/learning process; s/he may function as a consultant to others to enhance the educational potential of their role or s/he may work with a team or with communities or groups of patients. Specific competencies and knowledge are required of the health education specialist; and there is a body of learning and social change theory which provides a frame of reference for planning, implementing and evaluating educational programs. Working with others to enhance their potential to learn and to make informed decisions about health/disease issues is the hallmark of the health education specialist.

Diversidade ética e exclusão social no processo da consolidação da unidade nacional : o caso dos vendedores e vendedoras informais do Mercado de Estrela Vermelha : cidade de Maputo

O presente trabalho, estuda as relações sociais e interculturais dos vendedores informais do mercado de Estrela Vermelha- cidade de Maputo. Analisa os fatores que afetam a unidade nacional, entendida como o sentido de pertença a uma identidade e a um destino comuns. Há duas teses que explicam a crise da unidade nacional. A primeira argumenta que o que coloca em causa a unidade nacional é a pretensão de se querer construir uma nação cívica, excluindo e até mesmo hostilizando as identidades étnicas vistas como fator de divisão e de conflitos. Propõe por isso, o reconhecimento e a inclusão dos diferentes grupos étnicos no poder (Magode, 1996; Cahen, 1996; Lundin, 1996). Na segunda, argumenta-se que as etnias perderam a sua relevância em virtude das transformações sociopolíticas e económicas havidas no país (Castiano, 2010), ou como outros defendem, que objetivamente elas não existem, se não apenas como reflexo dos conflitos pelo acesso aos recursos e poder (Serra, 1996). Sendo assim, o obstáculo da unidade nacional são as desigualdades económicas e não as diferenças étnicas. Mediante o trabalho de observação, que incluiu entrevistas, conversas, descrição e fotografias, como técnicas de recolha de dados, combinado com a pesquisa documental, este trabalho argumenta que, existe no mercado uma convivência multicultural, mas regista-se ainda défice nas relações interculturais. Os vendedores do Sul, consideram-se culturalmente superiores em relação aos seus colegas do norte do Save. Tal como outras pessoas da região sul, estes vendedores tratam os seus colegas pelo termo xingondo, que além da simples identificação, é usado para desqualificar os seus colegas do norte. Assim, o silêncio em relação ao etnocentrismo das pessoas do sul, a timidez que ainda se verifica em relação ao uso oficial das línguas moçambicanas, que são o meio de comunicação mais usado, bem como a incipiente provisão dos direitos da cidadania, constituem os principais obstáculos à unidade nacional. O estudo termina propondo a operacionalização do conceito da unidade nacional, tendo em conta, por um lado o respeito pelas diferenças culturais e a promoção do diálogo intercultural e por outro, o combate contra as diferenças abismais entre ricos e pobres.

Housework, paid work and psychiatric symptoms

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the hypothesis that work burden, the simultaneous engagement in paid work and unpaid family housework, is a potential risk factor for psychiatric symptoms among women. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out with 460 women randomly selected from a poor area of the city of Salvador, Brazil. Women between 18 to 70 years old, who reported having a paid occupation or were involved in unpaid domestic activities for their families, were eligible. Work burden-related variables were defined as: a) double work shift, i.e., simultaneous engagement in a paid job plus unpaid housework; and b) daily working time. Psychiatric symptoms were collected through a validated questionnaire, the QMPA. RESULTS: Positive, statistically significant associations between high (>7 symptoms) QMPA scores and either double work shift (prevalence ratio -- PR=2.04, 95% confidence interval -- CI: 1.16, 2.29) or more than 10 hours of daily work time (PR=2.29, 95% CI: 1.96, 3.43) were found after adjustment for age, marital status and number of pre-school children. CONCLUSIONS: Major correlates of high QMPA scores are work burden variables. Being married or having pre-school children are also associated with high QMPA scores only when associated with work burden.

Evaluation of the improvements on pharmacy technicians' work practices after implementation of operational procedures

Several antineoplasic drugs have been demonstrated to be carcinogenic or to have mutagenic and teratogenic effects. The greatest protection is achieved with the implementation of administrative and engineering controls and safety procedures. Objective: to evaluate the improvements on pharmacy technicians' work practices, after the implementation of operational procedures related to individual protection, biologic safety cabinet disinfection and cytotoxic drug preparation. Method: case-study in a hospital pharmacy undergoing a certification process. Six pharmacy technicians were observed during their daily activities. Characterization of the work practices was made using a checklist based on ISOPP and PIC guidelines. The variables studied concerning cleaning/disinfection procedures, personal protective equipment and procedures for preparing cytotoxic drugs. The same work practices were evaluated after four months of operational procedures implementation. Concordance between work practices and guidelines was considered to be a quality indicator (guidelines concordance practices number/total number of practices x 100). Results: improvements were observed after operational procedures implementation. An improvement of 6,25% in personal protective equipment practice was achieved by changing second pair of gloves every thirty minutes. The major progress, 10%, was obtained in disinfection procedure, where 80% of tasks are now realized according to guidelines.By now, we hot an improvement of only 1% at drug preparation procedure by placing one cytotoxic drug at a time inside the biological safety cabinet. Then, 85% of practices are according to guidelines. Conclusion: before operational procedures implementation 80,3% of practices were according to the guidelines, while now is 84,4%. This indicates that is necessary to review the procedures frequently in the benefit to reduce the risks associated with handling cytotoxic drugs and maintenance of drug specifications.

Intergenerational interaction in health promotion: a qualitative study in Brazil

OBJECTIVE: In 1994 a pilot intergenerational project was started in the city of Taguatinga, Brazil, to promote the well-being of both elderly and adolescent populations using reminiscence processes as a means of interaction. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the project from the participants' viewpoint and to improve the contribution of those age groups in building up social capital. METHODS: From November 1999 to April 2000 a qualitative study using focus groups technique was conducted. Using a discussion guide, 9 groups of students, ranging in age from 13 to 19 years old, and 3 groups of elderly aged 60 years and over were interviewed to collect data regarding their interaction before and after an intergenerational program. RESULTS: The main findings suggested a change in attitude of young people toward old age and elderly people. Participating elderly people reported improvement in their health status. For both age groups the findings suggested a better understanding between generations. CONCLUSIONS: It seems that reminiscence intergenerational activity contributes to building up mutual trust and reciprocity. These results seem to indicate this is an alternative for investing in social capital and improving participants' well-being. However, further work is needed to support these findings.

Gestão estratégica: balanced scorecard para uma entidade hospitalar

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Contabilidade e Finanças Orientador: Doutora Cláudia Maria Ferreira Pereira Lopes