A multidimensional model of management competence in social services: validation of the Social Services Management Scale

Editorial verdict

Methodologically sound scale development study with good psychometric properties, but single-country sample and self-report design limit generalizability — treat the instrument as a promising foundation requiring cross-cultural replication before broader application.

Executive summary

This study addresses the absence of validated, context-sensitive instruments for measuring managerial competencies in social service organizations. The authors argue that existing managerial assessment tools are predominantly derived from business or generic public administration contexts and fail to capture the ethical, relational, and interdisciplinary dimensions specific to social services. To address this gap, the study developed and validated the Social Services Management Scale (SSMS) through a two-phase design: an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) conducted on a Slovak sample (n = 148) followed by a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on an independent sample (n = 306). The empirical analysis yielded a three-factor structure — Leadership and Strategic Management, Planning and Organizing, and Communication and Interpersonal Skills — which diverged from the theoretically anticipated four-factor model based on classical Fayolian functions. The final model demonstrated excellent fit indices (CFI = 0.990, RMSEA = 0.049), high internal consistency (α and ω > 0.90 across all factors), and adequate convergent validity (AVE > 0.50). Criterion validity was partially supported, with managerial position correlating significantly with leadership, planning, and overall SSMS scores, but not with communication competencies. The authors conclude that the SSMS provides an empirically grounded, sector-specific instrument with implications for evidence-based management development, recruitment, and policy in welfare organizations.

Frameworks mentioned

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