At the Interface: Organizational and Implementation Science in Social Work

Background: The substantial lag between the development of evidence-based practices (EBPs) and their routine use among human service organizations and systems has been well-documented. In response, the field of implementation science has grown over the last decade to focus on developing implementation strategies for moving evidence into practice quickly. Implementation is generally examined in organizational or system contexts, and the most critical aspects that shape front-line efforts to implement EBPs are often organizationally-focused (e.g., organizational change, culture and implementation climate, leadership, team effectiveness, etc).

However, despite the importance of organizations and management, implementation science has been slow to incorporate the vast theory, knowledge and methods already developed in organizational science in the past 100 years. Organizational and implementation scholars in social work can mutually benefit from exploring areas of complement and overlap between these two fields which offer a fertile ground for testing, and informing theories and evidence-based management practices (Reay, Berta, & Kohn, 2009; Rousseau, 2006). Social work scholars are poised to build strong connections at the interface of organizational and implementation sciences to effectively respond to our profession's Grand Challenges, all of which involve implementation and organizational change.

Purpose: This roundtable discussion focuses on the applicability of organizational theories, constructs, and frameworks for advancing implementation science in the context of social work practice. This roundtable is also intended to stimulate discussions and potential collaborations among implementation and organizational researchers in social work to advance theory on implementation of innovations in human service delivery for vulnerable populations.

Approach: Social work scholars at multiple career stages, with specialized expertise in implementation science, organizational research, or both, will facilitate the roundtable. The roundtable conversation will focus on several objectives: 1) identify topical and theoretical areas of overlap between implementation and organizational research, 2) highlight management and implementation practices relevant to social work practice, 3) consider application of research designs, methods, and measures across the two subfields, and 4) build a network of implementation and organizational researchers in social work.