Organizational Support in Personal Social Services in Lithuania: Does Path Dependency Matter?
Organizational Support in Personal Social Services in Lithuania: Does Path Dependency Matter?

Summary/Abstract: The ability of workers to provide high quality services depends not only on the level of professionalism but not less on the organisational environment and organizational support. Since many of residential care organizations in Lithuania are inherited from soviet time past, the hypothesis was raised that employees of so called state social care services experience less friendly organisational environment than municipal or NGO’s social services agencies. In general, these organisations have poor image in society and are often called as amz-houses. Using path dependency concept the assumption was raised that soviet care culture is still alive in these inherited institutions. The main features of this culture were paternalistic and hierarchical relationships, disciplinary culture. Drawing on empirical data from survey in social work services sector we could suggest that employees in state agencies frequently experienced worse organizational environment and received less emotional, instrumental support than in community-based organizations. This poses a threat to both employee job satisfaction and well-being of service recipients and may be used as an additional argument for reorganization of these institutions.

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