Demonstrations of the activity theory framework for research in information systems (original) (raw)
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The use of activity theory to guide information systems research
Education and Information Technologies, 2018
Activity Theory (AT) is increasingly employed as a lens to guide data analysis in information systems (IS) studies. The theory is also applied to assess and evaluate information systems and technologies (IS/IT) in organisations. Even though its popularity continues to increase in both business and academic domains, there is no formal or assessment guide through which the theory can be applied, which makes it sometimes difficult or complicated. The challenge is significant and critical in that when applied, it influences and shapes the results of the phenomena being studied. This is a problem as results of studies cannot or should not be misconstrued or misrepresented. This study was undertaken to examine how the use of AT in IS studies can be made easy. Based on the findings, a three phase approach was developed and proposed, to guide: (i) the selection of AT in an IS/IT study; (ii) use of elements for data analysis; and (iii) how the elements can be linked with AT components in the analysis of qualitative data. The approach therefore provides a formal guide that can be followed, to ease the selection and application of AT in IS/IT studies as well as assessment of IS/IT artefacts in an organisation. The approach can be useful to researchers for data analysis and interpretation of results. Also, the guidelines can be employed by educators for teaching and learning in the areas of research.
Operationalisation of Activity Theory in the Information Technology Shared Services environment
2012
The focus of this research paper is on the nature of interaction and mediation that occurs between various users of information technology projects and the technology itself in a community environment. In this report a community refers to a work envioernment. This paper examines how Cultural Historic Activity theory (CHAT) can be applied in seeking to understand the dynamism that exist when people are made to work together in a collaborative way by sharing certain resources. Shared services refer to the process of combining certain back office operations of different entities in such a way as to create professionalism, standardization of services and above all, to reduce the costs of operations and therefore leave the front office to focus on their most important duty: provision of front line services to the members of the public The biggest impact of having information technology sharing at the organisation is that it calls for certain changes to team dynamics and management processes. In this study, various respondents noted that teams must be formed in the right sizes, and that the members of these teams should be made to realize the importance of team work It appears that, Information Technology sharing, being like any other new Information Technology project in the organisation, it has not provided use with any new role of managers. However, in this study, it has been found that there is need to manage new team formations. While the skills of the manager may still remain the same, the dynamics between new teams, based on desired work cultures becomes crucial for successful team work.
Activity Theory used as an Analytical Lens for Business Research
Electronic Journal of Business Research Methods
Activity Theory is used in this paper to demonstrate the process of critical analysis of qualitative data from two case studies. The paper explains the elements of an activity system (the subject, object, outcome, mediating tools, rules, community and division of labour). Thereafter, practical examples from the work of two recent PhD students are used to show the importance of identifying and analysing activities that are found either in the introduction or the current use of information systems in business organisations. These examples highlight the applicability of Activity Theory in analysing data from projects of interest to Business Management whose topics and contexts are very different. The first focusses on the introduction of an Accounting Information System to microbusinesses in a low‑income community in South Africa and the second focusses on Information Security Management in Mobile Network Organisations in Uganda. The examples illustrate the value of Activity Theory as ...
Activity Theory: A framework for qualitative analysis
2007
This paper aims to provide readers with a useful introduction to Activity Theory, regardless of their field of study. Examples are given which include areas of research such as: information systems development, information systems in organizations, health care, and education. Activity Theory is a theoretical framework for the analysis and understanding of human interaction through their use of tools and artefacts. Activity Theory offers a holistic and contextual method of discovery that can be used to support qualitative and interpretative research. Activity Theory is particularly relevant in situations that have a significant historical and cultural context and where the participants, their purposes and their tools are in a process of rapid and constant change. The paper begins with an overview and background to the theory. Then, after explicating the practical value of its use, the paper concludes with a summary of some recent research which has used the method for analysis and di...
Activity theory: A versatile framework for workplace research
ANNUAL CONFERENCE-SOCIETY FOR TECHNICAL …, 2000
During the past decade activity theory has attracted a small but influential group of researchers in two fields that contribute to theory and research in technical communication: human-computer interaction and composition studies. In my STC-sponsored research into electronic editing in technical communication, I am applying activity theory to provide a coherent explanatory perspective on the findings of the qualitative portion of my study. This paper provides a brief introduction to activity theory and applies its analytical framework to help make sense of the qualitative data I gathered on electronic editing practices and attitudes in three different technical communication workplaces.
The unit of analysis in IS theory: The case for activity
2010
In the field of IS, researchers use and adapt existing theories to make sense of their data. They also build new theory from their research findings. The way theory is used, adapted or created usually assumes a certain unit of analysis, which could be the artefact, the system, the organisation, the user, the developer, the team or something else. In this paper we propose that 'activity' should also be considered as a suitable unit of analysis for theory in IS since the purpose of any information systems is to facilitate activities of use. To support this proposition, we describe tenets of Activity Theory and how they can be used to underpin IS research. We illustrate these with the interpretation, through Activity Theory, of a study of health information systems development aimed at identifying and meeting the needs of various users' activities. We make the claim for activity as an appropriate unit of analysis in the use of existing theory in IS research and when building new theory for IS.
2000
This paper investigates if the Activity-Theoretical methods of work development used by Engeström and others can be transformed into a day-today methodology for information systems practitioners. We first present and justify our theoretical framework of Activity Analysis and Development fairly extensively. In the second part we compare work development with information systems development and argue that in its less technological areas, the latter can potentially use the same methodologies as the former. In the third part, small experiments on using Activity Analysis during the earliest phases of information systems development in Nigeria and Finland are reported. In conclusion, we argue that the experiments were encouraging, but the methodology needs to be supported by further illustrative examples and training material. We argue that compared to currently used methods in the earliest and latest "phases" of systems development, Activity Analysis and Development is comprehensive, theoretically well founded, detailed and practicable.
Working with activity theory: Context, technology, and information behavior
Journal of The American Society for Information Science and Technology, 2011
Over the last 7 years, the AIMTech Research Group in the University of Leeds has used cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) to inform a range of research activities in the fields of information behavior and information systems. In this article, we identify certain openings and theoretical challenges in the field of information behavior, which sparked our initial interest in CHAT: context, technology, and the link between practice and policy. We demonstrate the relevance of CHAT in studying information behavior and addressing the identified openings and argue that by providing a framework and hierarchy of activity-action-operation and semantic tools, CHAT is able to overcome many of the uncertainties concerning information behavior research. In particular, CHAT provides researchers a theoretical lens to account for context and activity mediation and, by doing so, can increase the significance of information behavior research to practice. In undertaking this endeavour, we have relied on literature from the fields of information science and others where CHAT is employed. We provide a detailed description of how CHAT may be applied to information behavior and account for the concepts we see as relevant to its study.
Activity Theory and System Design: A View from the Trenches
Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW), 2002
An activity theory model and a mediating artifacts hierarchy were employed to help identify the needs for tools for customer support engineers who documented solutions to customer problems, a knowledge authoring activity. This activity also involves customer support engineers who assist Hewlett-Packard software product users. The particular tools to be designed were knowledge-authoring tools embedded in the customer support tracking application suite, SupportTracker. 1 The research analyzed the role of tensions between the elements of Engeström's activity theory model. The research also explored the benefits of specific interpretations of Engeström's refinement of Wartofsky's mediating artifacts hierarchy. The hierarchy contributed to the identification of desired characteristics of mediating artifacts, particularly tools. The findings included an interpretation of the "where-to" artifact concept as supporting an understanding of the entire activity system as an evolving entity. Specific interventions were used to achieve a positive impact on the evolution of the activity system.