The influence of organisational culture on decision-making and Corporate Parenting

Abstract

This small scale study explores whether organisational cultures influence the decision-making of professionals, from different agencies, who have had the roles and responsibilities of corporate parenting imposed upon them. Using a phenomenological approach, exploring how the beliefs, cultures and attitudes of their organisations might influence their opinions and, in turn their decisions, the aim is to gain some understanding of the social and psychological perceptions of situations as viewed by each of those corporate parents participating in this research.

A qualitative study was conducted using email vignettes following a young care leaver through three scenarios. The participants were from the police, social work, health and Children’s Panel members, all of whom were affiliated to organisations named as corporate partners. The themes emerging through the analysis process were collaborative working; organisational cultures; decision-making; assessment and, finally, the similarities and differences in responses from a professional viewpoint and as a parent. The expectation of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 is that corporate parents should treat young care leavers as if they were their own child. Whether ‘parenting’ in this arena could also be influenced by the organisational culture of the respondents was also explored.

My research found that organisational cultures do influence the decisions made by corporate parents and that, although collaborative working was mentioned by some of the participants, they appeared to focus only on their specific function. The findings explore whether there is a collective understanding of collaborative working and the roles and responsibilities of corporate parenting throughout the named partners. This research also questioned whether corporate parents could respond to young care leavers as if they were their own child and indicated a need for joint training as to what is expected as the parent of a young care leaver.