Methodology Of Complex Activity

Methodology of Complex Activity

This book develops and describes a general methodology that can be applied to any complex human activity (activity with a non-trivial, multi-level internal structure). The structural components of complex activities are considered, and their logical, cause-and-effect, and process structures are functionally described. Considerable attention is paid to organization and management, uncertainties, and the lifecycles of activities, as well as the actors, subject matter, resources, knowledge, and methods involved. Several typical examples are used throughout the text to illustrate the implementation of common approaches involving the functioning of work groups, organizational units, projects, and organizations in general: a retail bank, an aircraft manufacturer, a fire department, and a nuclear power plant. In addition, the book employs a system of connected technical models, in order to ensure that the results are of practical applicability for both experts on the ground and scholars engaged in research on the general principles of how activities (practical, scientific, etc.) are organized or on the management of socio-technical systems.

Activity Systems Analysis Methods

In the last two decades, there has been growing interest in pursuing theoretical paradigms that capture complex learning situations. Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) is one of several theoretical frameworks that became very popular among educational researchers because it conceptualizes individuals and their environment as a holistic unit of analysis. It assumes a non-dualistic ontology and acknowledges the complexities involved in human activity in natural settings. Recently, reputable journals such as the American Psychologist, Educational Psychologist, and Educational Researcher that are targeted for a wide-range of audience have included articles on CHAT. In many of such articles, CHAT has been referred to as social constructivism, sociocultural theory, or activity theory. Activity systems analysis is one of the popular methods among CHAT researchers for mapping complex human interactions from qualitative data. However, understanding the methods involved in activity systems analysis is a challenging task for many researchers. This difficulty derives from several reasons. First the original texts of CHAT are in Russian and there have been numerous authors who report on the difficulties of reconciling translation problems of the works of original authors’ such as Vygotsky and Leontiev. Second, in North America activity systems analysis has deviated from the Russian scholars’ intentions and Engeström’s original work using the triangle model to identify tensions to overcome and bring about sociopolitical change in participant practices. Third, to this date there are numerous publications on the theoretical background of activity theory and studies reporting the results of using activity systems analysis for unpacking qualitative data sets, but there have been no methodological publications on how researchers engage in activity systems analysis. Thus, there is a dearth of literature in both book and journal publications that guide researchers on the methodological issues involving activity systems analysis.

Handbook of Systems Sciences