Dynamics of Change in Communities: The governance of organizational and cultural evolution

Titolo Rivista RIVISTA DI PSICOLOGIA CLINICA
Autori/Curatori Ilaria Guacci, Luigi Brocca, Ilaria Ulgharaita, Filippo Sacquegna, Maria Luisa Lezzi, Danilo Cozzoli
Anno di pubblicazione 2025 Fascicolo 2025/1
Lingua Italiano Numero pagine 16 P. 5-20 Dimensione file 0 KB
DOI 10.3280/rpc1-2025oa18868
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The Emmanuel Community, a long-standing Italian organization in the field of addiction, has undergone a significant transformation, mirroring changes in community-based organizations. It has shifted from hospitality-based care for marginalized users to structured treatment centers, moving from a total system logic to healthcare-oriented interventions. This study aims to map the organizational culture within the community, analyzing how cultural change interacts with organizational inertia and identifying models that guide professionals in integrating the autonomy of the network. Through the online administration of a battery of questionnaires, the responses of 95 participants were collected. The data was analyzed using Multiple Correspondence Analysis and Cluster Analysis. The results showed that the Emmanuel community is characterized by five symbolic universes: Idealizers, Self-referential, Professional Communities, Disengaged, Disillusio­ned. These clusters show how change has introduced standardized practices and responsibilities, improving the measurement of treatment but potentially weakening the relational and inclusive aspects, reducing empathy and patient participation. The results suggest the need to balance professionalization with the traditional values of the community to maintain an effective and human-centered treatment model.

Parole chiave:; therapeutic community; organizational culture; dynamics of change; sense making; symbolic universe

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Ilaria Guacci, Luigi Brocca, Ilaria Ulgharaita, Filippo Sacquegna, Maria Luisa Lezzi, Danilo Cozzoli, Dynamics of Change in Communities: The governance of organizational and cultural evolution in "RIVISTA DI PSICOLOGIA CLINICA" 1/2025, pp 5-20, DOI: 10.3280/rpc1-2025oa18868