Model building for human service industries with application to the Australian funeral industry: development of an accreditation model for the funeral industry in Victoria

Elegant models are a true representation of the reality for which they are designed. The efficacy and value of the model is a product both of the design process and the data that inform model construction. <br><br>This study describes the development of an accreditation model for the Funeral Industry in Victoria, Australia. The researcher is a professional with extensive experience and professional networks in the relevant field. In this investigation a case study approach is taken, using an insider view and an abductive strategy. <br>Drawing on the literature about organisational effectiveness, the real world of the funeral industry, experience of related human service industry and selected exemplars, a draft model is created. This model is reviewed and refined by professional peers through an iterative process that generates further meaningful data. <br>Data are analysed through a process of thematic analysis and interpreted using the perspectives of ‘mutual perceptions’, ‘symbolic meanings’ and ‘motives and rules’.<br>The study supports the development of a novated model and describes features of the context that may influence the model’s implementation. <br><br>Recommendations are made both for the industry and for further research.<br><br>The report highlights the utility of integrating management theory (i.e., organisational effectiveness) with ‘real-world’ experience in the design of an elegant accreditation model.<br>