Violations in the structure of objects or processes always cause justifiable anxiety. This threatens the complete or partial destruction of objects and the distortion of their functions. Therefore, in science and practice, there is a so-called structural approach to establishing strong ties between the elements of the created object.
Where does the purchase begin? And not only...
The answer is simple: from a structural analysis of a thing that in general takes place in a certain sequence. Any buyer produces it, not always suspecting it. Evaluation functions include:
- The study of external signs: what parts a thing consists of, how they are connected together, what are they made of, what are they for.
- A similar familiarization with the internal structure.
- Studying the functionality of the subject.
If the item meets the requirements of the consumer, then the structural analysis ends with the purchase.
In the same way, one gets acquainted with the scientific discipline in an educational institution, with the tasks and sequence of actions in mastering a profession ... That is, almost everything a person encounters is subjected to the study and establishment of internal, external signs, composition, functions and interaction of its structural parts. The construction of objects again begins with the definition of its design in accordance with the purpose.
What is structural analysis and why is it needed?
Why does a person seek to know the structure of material and intangible things? That is their structure?
This word comes from the Latin structūra, which means the location of the parts in the subject and their relationship. Each of them has its own private parameters. As a result, the object as a whole has some kind of external and internal indicators (quality, properties, actions) and it can perform certain functions. Thus, the system-structural approach to the study of the subject allows you to plan goals, methods of its use, as well as the duration of operation, the possibility of reconstruction.
Such a practical approach is also true regarding manifestations of a person’s self-expression, for example, science, culture, social relations. Despite their “immateriality”, they also consist of interacting elements and have qualitative and quantitative indicators.
Structural analysis is a mandatory initial part of the study, construction, transformation of any object.
Objectives of a systematic research method
So, the focus of the researcher, using a structural approach, is, firstly, the structure of the subject of study and, secondly, the place in it of each of the elements. The objectives of this method of study:
- The establishment and study of the integrity of the subject, its composition, structural parts.
- Studying the integrity of the organization of elements (the actual structure of the object).
- Knowledge of the functions of the entire system and its individual parts (structural and functional analysis).
- The study of the genesis of the object, its relationships with other ordered devices and objects.
A worthy place to the structural approach in the scientific world is provided by the use of general and particular goals, principles and research methods.
Methods and stages of the analytical procedure
Analysis of the object can be directed to its individual parts and functions, which depends on the aspects of interest to the researcher. Stages of cognition in general:
- formulation of its common goals, particular tasks;
- definition of objects and their components to be analyzed;
- the choice of methods, methods for their study, quantitative and qualitative assessment criteria;
- organization of the procedure (preparation of the place, tools, means of fixing the results);
- conducting research, registration of its results.
A similar approach to the structural analysis of the studied objects is applied taking into account their specificity. In each individual case, general scientific and special (natural science, mathematical, experimental, etc.) research methods are used.
Principles of analysis
A rationally structured approach to the knowledge of various devices, orders, modes, etc., ensures the reliability of the data obtained about them. The mental or real division of a multicomponent object into components for the study and analysis of its functions and structure is based on certain rules.
The principles of the structural approach can be formulated as follows:
- Separation of the object should be done first into large parts, and then each of them into smaller ones (“top to bottom”). So it’s easier to determine their purpose and relationship. The “bottom up” movement makes this difficult; errors in the conclusions are possible.
- The allocation of material and non-material details (abstraction).
- Strict adherence to cognitive methods (formalization).
- Identification of the causes of conflicting data, their elimination.
- Structuring and logical alignment of analysis results.
Thus, the essence of the structural approach is the theoretical and practical presentation of objects as systems.
What is an “organization"
The meaning of this word can be considered in 2 versions:
The union of people having common ideas, goals, programs. It is characterized by hierarchical relationships between individual structural units.
The process of managing a specific system, coordinating the actions of its individual components to achieve common results, as well as to ensure external relations with other devices.
Organization as management is carried out through the solution of many problems, as well as the coordination of the actions of people involved in this. In other words, this is a mechanism for building the structure of an institution or enterprise.
Effective Organization Method
Practice shows that a rational interaction between levels and areas of management (departments, divisions, sectors, workshops) and control over their functioning ensures the efficiency of the entire enterprise. That is, this is a structural approach to organizing activities. It is based on the following conditions:
- the reality of the relationship between people and their job responsibilities (content, scope, timing of a specific job);
- adequate, law-based methods for managing the team, performers;
- the concreteness and feasibility of the powers of workers at various levels of management.
The methods of the structural approach are actually used in organizing large and small associations in various fields of activity - political, economic, industrial, cultural and educational, religious, managerial, etc.
Society as a structured system of assistance to an individual
There are different forms of life and activities of people that satisfy their diverse needs - family, labor organizations, formal and informal associations, etc.
Probably, no one will argue that the service sector employee should be well versed in the construction and functions of all social systems in order to be able to properly build the content and volumes of assistance needed by clients. Everyone who needs a particular type of service and support is a member of a specific social group: worker, employee, pensioner, student, unemployed, disabled person, party or trade union functionary, etc.
The socio-structural approach to working with clients will give, for example, a person who has undertaken obligations, the opportunity to take into account the peculiarities of working with people belonging to different nationalities, religious faiths, age groups, and sexes. Taking an active life position, he must not only understand and smooth out the manifestations of inequality between different layers of the population (material, intellectual, social), but also know the mechanisms of distribution of resources available to specific social groups. So a social worker can try to organize material and other assistance to a lonely pensioner from the various communities in which he is a member: neighbors, distant relatives, and former colleagues.
Social situation analysis
The decision on radical interference in the life of the client by the social worker should be preceded by a detailed analysis of the situation in which he is. Using a structural approach, he will determine:
- customer needs and the presence (absence) of his own capabilities to meet them;
- what resources the social service has to provide assistance;
- to select public structures (or individual members of society) that can be involved in working with a client;
- its forms and types (volunteering, material, moral support);
- rational planning of these matters;
- forms of control, analysis of the implementation of the plan.
A detailed study of the situation in which a person is located opens: firstly, ways to search and stimulate his own forces and resources for self-help. Secondly, the means of consolidating various social structures to support their member in a difficult life situation.