Theory Series: Social Organization Theory of Action and Change
- This month, Military REACH continues the Theory Series, by diving into the social organization theory of action and change (Mancini & Bowen, 2013). We will provide an overview of the model and provide context for how military families and communities can benefit from its implementation. Overview: Social Organization Theory of Action and Change The social organization theory of action and change (Mancini & Bowen, 2009, 2013; Mancini et al., 2018) is a framework used to identify the processes (i.e., creating shared responsibility and trust to support communities) and antecedents (i.e., networks and resources that are available and currently established in the community) required to promote community capacity. Community capacity is the extent to which community resources are leveraged to solve problems, maintain well-being, and foster resilience, and is composed of two essential elements: collective competence and shared responsibility. When a community is collectively competent, it demonstrates the ability to mobilize resources and embrace opportunities to address families’ needs. Likewise, communities must also exhibit a shared responsibility; that is, a genuine care for one another and willingness to offer help.
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Research summaries convey terminology used by the scientists who authored the original research article; some terminology may not align with the federal government's mandated language for certain constructs.