Unit 9 Use of Strategies and Tactics:

University of Hong Kong

Department of Social Work and Social Administration

Theory and Method (Community Work) 1997-98 Lecture 11, 12 Strategies and Tactics

Meaning of strategy in community work

Planned attempt to influence others in relation to some goal(s) which residents or their organizations desire.

A strategy is the overall plan; tactics are specific techniques for attaining specific goals.

Q: Cite an example from government and another example from business where residents/employees would take action to change or influence their decision or policy. Indicate the kind of decisions or policies involved

Type of strategies in community problem solving

Perception of Goal	Response	Strategies
Mutually enhancing adjustments; or rearrangement of resources	Consensus	Collaborative
Redistribution of resources	Difference	Campaign
Change in status relationships	Dissensus	Contest or disruption
Reconstruction of entire system	Insurrection	Violence

Strategies	Tactics
Collaborative	Problem solving Education Joint action Persuasion (e.g. making use of D.B. member, )
Campaign	Political maneuvering Bargaining Negotiation Mild coercion (e.g. Rally, Sit-in)
Contest or disruption	Clash of position within accepted norms Violation of normative behavior Violation of legal norms

Brager, G. ,Specht, H. & Torczyner, J. (1987). Community Organizing. NY: Columbia Univeristy Press (2nd edition). (Part IV: Influencing targets: tactics for community change, a perspective on tactics).

Consensus Strategy

Parties share similar or compatible interest

Finding solution to fit the interest of both parties

Mutual respect, trust

Preferably with similar status/power

Interdependency

Tactics of Consensus Strategy

Use institutionalized or established procedures to channel needs and problems to the authority concerned;

Area Committee, District Board Sub-committee
Estate Consultation Meeting
Direct communication with concerned departments

Articulate the residents demand and interest as compatible to that of the authority;

Establish regular channels for collaborative work, for example, regular meetings, attending ceremonies or programs of the authority etc.

Provide information like research reports, suggestions for resolution;

Build up a representative and powerful constituency

Limitation of Consensus Strategies

Clients Factor

Time Factor

Organization Factor

Characteristic of Campaign Strategy

Uncooperative (e.g. Not using established channels)

Divergence in interests/principles (e.g. Import of Labor)

Use of Force/Threat (e.g. public complaint, create embarrassment, boycott)

Q: Social work carries the image of 'caring' and 'peace'. Do you think social workers should be involved with residents and their organizations in using ‘conflict’ or ‘confrontation’ activity against the authority. What do you think are the argument for and against such involvement?

Reasons of using the campaign/contest strategy

Promote bargaining power

Emotional Manifestation

Time Limitation

Assertion of Dignity/ Rights

Workers’ Ideology

Q: Give an example of an issue that warrant the use of conflict strategy, and why.

Limitation of Campaign/Contest Strategies

Might lose public support

Hamper long term relationship

Heightened Emotion – uncontrollable outcome

Consequence of failure

Rules of Campaign/Contest Strategy

Alinsky’s Power Tactics

Power is not only what you have but what the enemy thinks you have

Never go outside the experience of your people

Wherever possible go outside of the experience of the enemy

Make the enemy live up to their own book of rules

Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon

A good tactics is one that your people enjoy

A tactic that drags on too long becomes a drag

Keep the pressure on, with different tactics and actions, and utilize all events of the period for your purpose

The treat is usually more terrifying than the thing itself

The major premise for tactics is the development of operations that will maintain a constant pressure upon the opposition

If you push a negative hard and deep enough it will break through into its counterside

The price of a successful attack is a constructive alternative

Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, polarize it.

Common Campaign Tactics

Sending letters to authority's decision makers directly.

keep copies of the letter;
include suggestions for solving the problem;
provide deadline for response;
follow-up with phone calls for response and arrangement and;
include details of contact persons.

Seeking help from elected representatives

demonstrate number of people/voters affected
follow up on all promises made

Making a petition to the authority

use concise wording and state clearly the demands on the petition letter;
send petition letter directly to decision markers as far as possible;
conduct petition in front of the media;
made use of symbols that can represent sufferings, problems, demands of resident.

Conducting public hearing

control of schedule - persons to be invited to speak in public hearing, time allocation, selection of chairperson;
select convenient place - familiar and easy for crowd control;
invite the media (with consent by speakers);
inform police (formally or informally) to keep patrol;
broadcast the process to residents who stay at home in nearby flats by loud-hailers;
provide child care;
design trouble-shooting measures to prevent:

Sending out press release

to announce upcoming event and invite the press to report on it;
to make statements on current issues and;
to provide background information or to supplement late-breaking news;
Use attractive headings for the release
Use concise language and rule of inverted triangle
Third person reporting
Give the name of contact person

Press Conference

Content
Date, Time, Place, Person
Notice
Briefing of reporters, press release
Individual interview, spokesman
Start on time
Technical Instrument (Phone, Fax, Power, et.c)
Follow up the conference

Lodging Complaint to Legislative Council (Legco)

Conducted in office hour
Selection Councillor who are sympathetic to residents’ demand
Present concisely, supported with documents, reports
Can inform press

Boycotts, Strike, Blockage

Estimate your mobilization capacity
Estimate the pubic support
Estimate the loss of the enemy
Prepare for sacrifice and calculate the duration of action

Readings:

Alinsky, S. (1989). Rules for Radicals, A pragmatic primer for realistic radicals, NY:Vintage books. (361.8 A41)

Specht, H. (1975) . Disruptive tactics in Kramer & Spect (ed.), Readings in Community Organization Practice, NY: Prentice Hall, 2^nd edition ( 301.3408K8)

Khinduka, S & Conghlin, B. (1975). A conceptualization of social action. Social Service Review, Vol. 49, March 1975.

Mcknight, J. & Kretzman, J. (1984). Community organizing in the 80s, towards a post-Alinsky Agenda. Social Policy, Winter, p.15-17.

Stapes, L. (1984). Roots to power: a manual of grassroot organizing.(361.8097S7).

Gamson, W. (1975). The strategy of social protest, Michigan: Dorsey Press Collective, O.M. (1971). The Organizers’ Manual, NY: Banton Books.

Burghardt, S. (1982). Organizing for community action. (361.8B95).

Maglaya, F. (1978). Organizing People for Power - A Manual for Organizers. Asian Committee for People Organization.

Association for Community Workers (1979). The Community Worker Skill Manual. ACW.

荃灣合一社會服務中心 (1994), 求索基層組織路，香港：荃灣合一社會服務中心。

Keith Popple (1995) Analyzing community work, its theory and practice. Buckingham: OUP.