Relationships Between Social Entrepreneurial Orientation and Social Work Management Competencies in Nonprofit Human Service Organizations

Abstract

ABSTRACT Social work managers face multiple challenges when seeking to create organizational environments that support community social outcomes. This study aims to provide a model of human services organizational management that includes social entrepreneurial orientation (SEO), and employs a multivariate regression analysis to identify relationships between SEO and social work management competencies using a nationally representative sample of nonprofits in Canada. Significant relationships were found between the SEO Scale (including social innovation, proactivity, risk-taking, and market engagement) and the Social Work Management Competencies Scale (including executive leadership, resource management, strategic management, and community collaboration). Further, organizational health significantly predicted resource management and strategic management, while revenue level significantly negatively predicted executive leadership. Multiple implications for findings are provided and a discussion is focused on applications for social work management.