SOCIAL WORK AND MANAGEMENT ›› 2025, Vol. 25 ›› Issue (6): 32-41.

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Professional Dilemmas and Coping Strategies of Community Workers from the Perspective of Dual Institutional Logic

SHI Tianqi1,2, DAI Yi3   

  1. 1. Law School, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315100, China;
    2. Ningbo Social Governance Modernization Research Center, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315100, China;
    3. School of History and Society, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China
  • Received:2025-03-17 Online:2025-11-15 Published:2025-11-15

Abstract: Community workers constitute a pivotal force in community governance, and practical dilemmas in their professionalization process directly impede the enhancement of grassroots social governance capacity. Employing participant observation and in-depth interviews, this study investigates the professional dilemmas encountered by certified community workers and their corresponding coping strategies against the backdrop of intertwined administrative and professional demands. The findings reveal that under the interplay of dual institutional logics, the professional dilemmas of these workers manifest in three dimensions: decision-making conflicts, role conflicts, and practice conflicts. Specifically, they grapple with balancing limited energy against multiple demands, confront ambiguities in their positioning between administrative and professional roles, and encounter disjunctions between professional knowledge and practical operations. In response to these challenges, certified community workers have developed four types of coping strategies: situational adaptation, integrative coordination, defensive adjustment, and relational mobilization. These strategies not only enable them to maintain efficient and stable work performance in complex institutional contexts but also reflect how the dual tensions between administrative requirements and professional practice shape their professional experiences. Future research on relevant topics should prioritize examining the work experiences and dilemmas of frontline community workers in complex institutional environments, with a view to enhancing the overall effectiveness of community governance.

Key words: certified community workers, professional dilemmas, dual institutional logics, social workers, community governance

CLC Number: 

  • C916
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