| A review of social science literature surrounding innovation in social work suggests that social work schools specifically are not reaping the benefits of technology because they have been slow to realize that the information age requires organizational change (Parsons, Liden, O'Connor & Nagao, 1991). This study seeks to describe the factors that support change in social work schools. The work of Lowy, Bloksberg and Walberg (1971) provides validity for this research endeavor in that they began an empirical description of the culture characteristics or facilitating factors of social work schools as learning organizations using Schein's (1969) conception of organization change dynamics. The question to be addressed is, "What factors do social work education innovators observe as facilitating change in schools of social work?" This study uses a three-round Delphi technique to answer the above question. The Facilitating Factors of Innovation model, based on the findings of the current study, presents a set of factors to be understood and, when possible, implemented by deans and directors who wish to support innovation of any kind. |
