A study on establishing a sustainable operating model for the community social welfare association

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to present an operating model that re-establishes the functions, processes, and outcomes of community social welfare associations (hereinafter referred to as CSWAs) in order to facilitate their process of creating performance and innovations. The key issues in operating CSWAs can be roughly divided into 5 categories. First, it is not clear what the functions of CSWA are. Second, the partnership structure between the public and the private is not equally balanced. Third, the budget for operating an CSWA, including expenses related to the operating cost of CSWA offices, project operation costs, and labor cost, is not only small in absolute size, but also varies widely across local governments. Fourth, the size and salary level of CSWA staff vary considerably across localities. Lastly, the operation of CSWAs is bureaucratic in practice and remains short-term in orientation. In order to resolve these issues, CSWAs should implement performance and innovation models by setting the following three functions as operational targets. First, it is necessary to strengthen and expand a cooperative network. Second, a customer-oriented service planning and implementation is needed. Third, efforts are required to build a system delivering customized welfare services. CSWAs can function properly when they move along the following three procedural elements. First, the overall operational effectiveness of CSWAs, such as clarity of vision and purpose, sustainability of human and financial resources, cooperation and collaboration, consumer-orientedness, and learning orientation, must be improved. Second, the operation of working-level divisions, such as goal setting and achievement, role commitment, relationship reciprocity, rational decision-making, and inter-division interactions, should be working. Lastly, support in CSWA offices should be strengthened, such as sharing vision, strengthening member competencies, information management – i.e collecting, analyzing, and sharing information -, communication and cooperation between members, resource development and project planning, performance management, and enhancing external status.