SOCIAL WORK AND MANAGEMENT ›› 2026, Vol. 26 ›› Issue (1): 1-10.

   

From Embedded to Incorporated: The Logic of Transform and Implications for Governance of Social Work in Social Assistance

QIU Guoliang, FENG Shujuan, LAI Xinyan   

  1. School of Law, Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, 515063, China
  • Received:2025-06-02 Published:2026-01-15

Abstract: Amid the diversification of China’s social assistance system, the transformation of intervention models in social work has become an critical concern in social governance. This article undertakes a comparative analysis of the “embedded model” and the “incorporative model,” delineating their differences in management mechanisms, organizational dependence, resource integration, and service responsiveness. Furthermore, it identifies the practical dilemmas and institutional tensions that manifest during this transitional phase. From the perspectives of institutional, governance, and professional logics, the study analyzes the underlying forces driving the shift from embedded to incorporative models. It posits that this process reflects the state’s imperative to enhance policy implementation, integrate diverse resources, and reshape state–society relations. The paper argues that the establishment of a triadic mechanism of institutional support, governance coordination, and professional empowerment can help address the practical challenges and provide a new analytical framework for understanding the evolution of China’s social assistance system from a management-centric to a collaborative-oriented model.

Key words: social assistance, social work intervention, embedded model, incorporative model, collaborative governance

CLC Number: 

  • C916
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