Chapter 22: Perspectives on the Future of Integration

Abstract

Thomas Friedman's political analysis of The Lexus and the Olive Tree(2000) is used to frame the discussion of the future of integration in the EAP, Work-life and Wellness field. Many claim that for progress to occur, one needs to understand history. Friedman, however, pushes the reader further to focus on understanding the constant interplay and tension between present day advances and past traditions. This article briefly reviews one of the early attempts at comprehensive benefit services in the United States-Welfare Capitalism as a means to understand the beginnings of some of these endeavors. In addition early research conducted by Lawrence and Lorsch on organizational integration and differentiation are briefly reviewed as a conceptual framework to ground the discussion of future trends in the field of integration. Finally, some closing thoughts are offered that raise both questions on areas requiring further investigation on the topic of integration, as well as a challenge to professionals regarding what role they would like to take regarding the future of these services.     

物联网在特殊高低端物品物流服务中的应用

我国目前的物流服务水平整体偏低,对于一些易燃、易爆、易腐以及一些货值较高的商品的物流服务中存在着更多问题。由于不同种类的商品其物流服务活动有显著的差异,尤其是一些带有特殊性的商品,所以本文首先将这些产品进行高端、低端种类的划分,然后把物联网的技术引入这些高低端商品的物流服务活动中,分别构建基于物联网的高低端商品物流服务系统,并且通过此系统来加强对高低端商品的物流服务过程的全面控制、全面监控,有效保证产品的质量和避免事故的发生,从而实现高效、高质的物流服务。     

Pragmatic ex-ante evaluation using an innovative conceptual framework: The case of a high-tech entrepreneurship program for women

Program designers at local project level usually design interventions under conditions of scarce resources and bounded rationality lacking sufficient information about the process and impact mechanisms of the complex social programs they design and implement. This paper proposes a model for pragmatic ex ante evaluation using an innovative conceptual framework for practitioners working in the field to improve gender equality in research and innovation.The presented and applied model is pertinent to the theory-oriented evaluation tradition using a logic frame and a theory of change approach adapted to the special requirements of ex-ante evaluation. The model is illustrated by the case study of a program for the promotion of women entrepreneurship in the STEM fields.It is concluded that in a setting with limited resources and information, ex-ante evaluations should aim at defining clear conditions of proportionality and need to take into account the extent to which contextual factors hinder or facilitate the implementation of a program, and the specific institutional and system mechanisms at play, in order to enable proactive risk management from the beginning.     

The Shift towards Family Reunification in Romanian Child Welfare Policy: An Analysis of Changing Forms of Governmental Intervention in Romania

This article examines the transition in Romanian child welfare policy from a paternalistic attitude of taking responsibility for ‘abandoned’ children to a capitalist orientation of reinstating responsibility for ‘abandoned’ children to the private sphere. While this shift in child policy is often seen to reflect a withdrawal of the public sphere from the private world of childcare, this study argues, alternatively, that this shift demonstrates a change in the form of governmental intervention. This article is based on ethnographic research that examines the reflections of Romanian child welfare professionals upon their changing roles.     

The social model of disability: thirty years on

This year marks exactly 30 years since I published a book introducing the social model of disability onto an unsuspecting world and yet, despite the impact this model has had, all we now seem to do is talk about it. While all this chatter did not matter too much when the economy was booming, now it no longer booms it is proving disastrous for many disabled people whose benefits and services are being severely cut back or removed altogether. In the article I restate my view of what the social model was and what I see as its potential for improving the lives of disabled people. Finally I focus on the unfortunate criticisms of it and the disastrous implications these have had for disabled people.     

The Evolution of Worker Connect: A Case Study of a System of Systems

We discuss the rationale, development, deployment, and evolution of Worker Connect, a federation of agency systems that is used by authorized health and human services workers in New York City. We show how Worker Connect evolved with HHS-Connect, the organization that enables the integration and synergy of interagency health and human services systems. We show how the system of systems framework provides a way to understand issues encountered and lessons learned in developing and deploying Worker Connect and similar interagency human services systems. The first part of this article provides a history of the Worker Connect project in the context of a case study on achieving interoperability. The second part of this article introduces the framework of system of systems, and describes Worker Connect and HHS-Connect within this framework. The third part of the article describes future work, and offers some lessons for others wanting to implement a system of systems project for human services.