TY - JOUR
T1 - When Does the Social Service Ecosystem Meet Consumption Needs? A Power–Justice–Access Model of Holistic Well-Being from Recipients’ Perspectives
AU - Baker, Stacey Menzel
AU - Azzari, Courtney Nations
AU - Thomas, Meredith Rhoads
AU - Bennett, Aronté Marie
N1 - Funding Information:
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research was supported by a Transformative Consumer Research grant from the Association for Consumer Research and the Sheth Foundation awarded to Julie Ruth and Stacey Menzel Baker.
PY - 2020/4/1
Y1 - 2020/4/1
N2 - Many Americans living in poverty rely on a constellation of social services to meet their consumption needs. This article explores the conditions under which social service programs enhance or detract from holistic well-being, from recipients’ perspectives. Depth interviews with 45 rural and urban recipients reveal, through a power–justice–access model, that holistic well-being extends beyond access to social service programs to include power to choose and control resource outcomes and justice (respect) in recipients’ experiences with elements of the social service ecosystem (design, practices, actors, resources). Theoretically, focusing on the social service ecosystem allows a broader understanding of holistic well-being than is possible through a resource-based or dyadic perspective. In terms of policy, the findings suggest the need to include subjective, versus solely objective, approaches in assessing the performance of the social service ecosystem in meeting consumption needs. Finally, the authors offer a practical principle termed “sensitized standardization,” whereby, at the local level, needs are addressed in relation to the context of recipients’ daily lives and the macro structure of the social service ecosystem.
AB - Many Americans living in poverty rely on a constellation of social services to meet their consumption needs. This article explores the conditions under which social service programs enhance or detract from holistic well-being, from recipients’ perspectives. Depth interviews with 45 rural and urban recipients reveal, through a power–justice–access model, that holistic well-being extends beyond access to social service programs to include power to choose and control resource outcomes and justice (respect) in recipients’ experiences with elements of the social service ecosystem (design, practices, actors, resources). Theoretically, focusing on the social service ecosystem allows a broader understanding of holistic well-being than is possible through a resource-based or dyadic perspective. In terms of policy, the findings suggest the need to include subjective, versus solely objective, approaches in assessing the performance of the social service ecosystem in meeting consumption needs. Finally, the authors offer a practical principle termed “sensitized standardization,” whereby, at the local level, needs are addressed in relation to the context of recipients’ daily lives and the macro structure of the social service ecosystem.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85081594610&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85081594610&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0743915620903318
DO - 10.1177/0743915620903318
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85081594610
VL - 39
SP - 220
EP - 239
JO - Journal of Public Policy and Marketing
JF - Journal of Public Policy and Marketing
SN - 0748-6766
IS - 2
ER -