Sociological practice: Problems,theory, and methods

Recent developments in sociological practice are reviewed in terms of methodological, theoretical, and paradigmatic responses to the ill-structured or unstructured policy problems confronting private or public organizations. Methodologically, sociological practice is responding with the use of mixed methods or triangulation, in diagnosing policy problems as well as evaluating policy programs. Theoretically, the cognitive mapping of unstructured problems occurs increasingly in terms of multivariate conceptual models, usually in a graphic presentation. At a paradigmatic level, these two trends open the way to a clinical approach in sociological practice. In the clinical paradigm, improving the program is an inherent part of the method. Mark van de Vall is professor of sociology, Erasmus University, Rotterdam and adjunct professor at SUNY/Buffalo. He is president of Research Committee #26: Sociotechnics-Sociological Practice, of the International Sociological Association.