gender differential paper IJCRB

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INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH IN BUSINESS
JUNE 2011
VOL 3, NO 2
By classifying the structure of the environment and the nature of its adaptive
influence, the perspective appears to be admirably suited to the task of developing
concepts and practice principles for intervening in the environment (Germain, 1979).
This theory views man as a member and hence an appendage of a large system
which are not only over bearing but also overwhelm the individual in all its ramifications.
In other words, the system theory posits that the individual is a part of a large system and
caught up in the web of interactions and hence the totality of his being are affected in one
way or the other by the system which he/she can not separate himself from the process of
the society.
This theory uses the biological analogy of Darwinism as popularized by Spencer.
This analogy sees all organism as systems, composed of subsystems and in turn part of
super system (Malcohn, 2005). Thus, organisms and environments are regarded as a
unitary system with different parts which, can only be understood in relations to its
interdependence with the other parts. Applying this analogy, the theory posits that human
beings as part of a system are likened to cell that make up the atoms and hence, organs
and system. Thus, man is part of the basic building block of the family, then extended
family, groups and then societies just like biological system.
In subscribing to the view of Harson (1995), the ecosystem theory emphasizes the
value of system, networking and integration and hence, deals with the whole or total
system rather than with parts of human behaviour in isolations. This is one of the positive
sides of this theory. As Anderson et al (1999) rightly emphasizes, the system theory
integrates the atomistic holistic continuum i.e the social worker should think about the
social and personal elements in any social situation in the context of the social settings
and other elements interfering with one another in the web of interactional processes
within the whole (system society). This processes may be in form of reciprocity and
sysmbiotic relationships between the individual and the society and even parasitic and
predatory.
There is a comfortable fit between the science of ecology and social work
profession in which the habitat is expressed us purposeful fostering health and
interdependent transactions between persons and their environments. The individual is a
product of the society and still part of the societal processes. Hence, the individualistic
approach of casework orientation of the twentieth country was challenged and changed in
consonance with ecology theoretical orientations (Ramsey, 1994; Wakefield, 1996). The
result of this orientation was the movement from casework to social work which led to
the incorporation of the family, group, community and organizational approaches to
interventions in clients situation(s) (Carol Mayers, 1983:12).
As will be explained later, this ecological approach in my opinion seems to be the
best for social work practice in Nigeria because of the communalistic lifestyle of
Nigerian people. The individual is closely knitted with the family, group and community
and because of the reciprocity between the individual and family, group and society they
both are intertwined in web of complex relationships and interactions and one can not be
dealt with alone without affecting the other. The other understanding of social ecological
theory as it relates to social work practice was succinctly elucidated by Heoprey Greif
and Arther Lynch (1983) when they write that social workers understanding of ecology is
an analogy to biological theories that explain adaptations of organisms to their
environment. According to them, this means that as a person enters each new situation,
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