Pbog dialectics of activity system 2011

PBOG: The sociology of organisational life
Using activity theory... naming the dialectic inner
connections using PBOG

A working paper by Clive Burgess October 2011
Contact email: clive154@live.co.uk

NOTES

Activity Theory: A brief history... basic understanding and use in practice

Introduction to Activity Theory (Andy Brown)
The premise of activity theory is that a collective work activity, with the basic
purpose shared by others (community), is undertaken by people (subjects) who are
motivated by a purpose or towards the solution of a problem (object), which is
mediated by tools and/or signs (artefacts or instruments) used in order to achieve the
goal (outcome). The activity is constrained by cultural factors including conventions
(rules) and social organisation (division of labour) within the immediate context and
framed by broader social patterns (of production, consumption, distribution and
exchange). http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/ier/glacier/tlrp/qualitative/chat/

Activity theory provides a conceptual framework from which we can understand the
inter-relationship between activities, actions, operations and artefacts, subjects’
motives and goals, and aspects of the social, organisational and societal contexts
within which these activities are framed.

Vygotsky's mediation triangle

Mediational Means (tools)
(machines, writing, speaking, gestures, architecture, music etc)

Subjects Object/Motive
(individuals, dyads, groups) ---> Outcome

Leont'ev – the object of the activity is its true motive

Clive Burgess Copyright October 2011

Activity Theory: Engestrom’s model
Artefact
Sense Outcome
Subject Object
Activity Meaning

Rules Community Division of Effort

http://www.learning-theories.com/activity-theory.html

Engestrom’s model above is useful for understanding how a wide range factors
work together to impact an activity. In order to reach an outcome it is necessary to
produce certain objects (e.g. experiences, knowledge, and physical products) Human
activity is mediated by artefacts (e.g. tools used, documents, recipes, etc.) Activity is
also mediated by an organization or community. Also, the community may impose
rules that affect activity. The subject works as part of the community to achieve the
object. An activity normally also features a division of labour.
Three levels of activity:
• Activity towards an objective (goal) carried out by a community. A result of a
motive (need) that may not be conscious social and personal meaning of
activity (Answers the Why? question)
• Action towards a specific goal (conscious), carried out by an individual or a
group possible goals and sub goals, critical goals (Answers the What?
question)
• Operation structure of activity typically automated and not conscious concrete
way of executing an action in according with the specific conditions
surrounding the goal (Answers the How? Question)


David Russell (1997) Activity System

Donna Kain, East Carolina University 1999
Elizabeth Wardle, University of Dayton 1999
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~drrussel/at%26genre/at%26genre.html
Tools

Motive

Subject Object Outcome

Divisions
Rules of
Labour
Community

Rules
Laws, codes, conventions, customs, and agreements that people adhere to while
engaging in the activity

Community:
People and groups whose knowledge, interests, stakes, and goals shape the activity

Division of Labor
How the work in the activity is divided among participants in the activity

Subject
Person or people engaged in activity who are the focus of a study on activity. The
point of view used to focus on the activity.

Tools
Physical objects and systems of symbols like language, mathematics that people use
to accomplish the activity

Motives Purposes, reasons for the activity
Object... Immediate goals of activity
Outcome... Long-terms goals of activity

http://core.ecu.edu/engl/kaind/3880/projects/AT.pdf

Operationalising Activity Theory:

Mwanza’s (2001) Eight-Step-Model
As a means of operationalising Engeström’s Activity System, Mwanza’s (2001)
Eight-Step Model incorporates a series of open-ended questions based on the
individual components:

Activity
What sort of activity am I interested in?

Object - ive
Why is this activity taking place?

Subjects [Plan - Input]
Who is involved in carrying out this activity?

Tools [Artefacts - Cultural means - PBOG]
By what means are the subjects carrying out this activity?

Rules and Regulations [Legal or Other Guidelines]
Are there any cultural norms, rules and regulations governing the performance
of this activity?

Division of Labour [Rational Organisation – Division of Effort]
Who is responsible for what, when carrying out this activity and how are the
roles organised? [competence - roles and responsibilities - coordination]

Community – Organisation – Group - Team
What is the environment in which activity is carried out? [operations]

Outcome [Object -outcome (goal attainment)- Patterns of Behaviour]
What is the desired outcome from this activity?


PBOG a sociology of organisational life... A brief history... basic understanding
and use in practice

Social reality of organisational life is composed of the following.,.

At the management/control level – Management practices in a Managed Society
http://www.participedia.net/wiki/International_Organization_of_Citizens_for_the_Su
stainable_Management_of_Societies
___The human being:
The only thing that acts in our social ecosystem is the human being
(Plan - Subject – Artefact /Activity - – Object - Outcome – Patterns of Behaviour)
Composed of the body and the brain.(Thinking Body)

This gives rise to...
(it is difficult to think of a mathematical theory when you are using words... the
nearest you get to it is economics)
___Uniqueness: The human being
___The collective: All human beings living in a community. (Activity theory)
___The in between : What is neither unique nor total
___The in between collective majority or minority state
___The in between majority or minority state among opposing groups: (conflict)
___The collectivities: A network of collectivities... hubs, clusters
Is controlled by... cultural norms
___Management processes that manage our interrelations. Individual or in group
___Management processes that manage our interactions. Individual or in group
___Management processes that manage our collectivities.(community)
___Management processes that manage our societal resources (community)

Feedback
Control and Resistance... Reproduction and Transformation = Conflict
We use our management system to create a process to organise, manage and control
developing situations... people within that situation...and the work process...
Our social ecosystem
Society = the sum total of or an ensemble of social relationships...
How do you define 'social' relationships?
A 'relationship' is a quality which can be stated only of two or more entities together
where each refers to the other, not of some single thing.

Relationships may be physical, biological, social or cultural.
Example Physical: Cup and Saucer... Biological: Bird and an egg... Social: Husband
and Wife... or Home and Work... Cultural: A noun and a verb

http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/9805_039184ch02.pdf

'Social' relationships are where some entity recognised as being 'social' that is
people, organisations or societies, are constantly in interaction with each other at
some level or another..
Relationships: Relationships when viewed as social relationships....
Activities carried on in relationships
___Interactions: the operational relationships, one to one, one to many, many to
many, that citizens have with each other and with other societal resources, whose
actions arising from these relations are aimed at achieving an operational objective.
Citizens are then used as a (natural/social) resource. (capital)
A relationship is an interaction between two people... a husband and a wife is a home
relationship … a boss and a worker is a work relationship... an interrelationship
strictly speaking is a relationship between two relationships
___Interrelationships: relationships, one to one, one to many, many to many, that
people have between themselves within the framework of friendly or family relations.
A relationship between two relationships:...eg relationships in the home between
husband and wife and relationships at work between a boss and a worker
Interrelationships are therefore relationships between relationships... a woman as a
worker at work and the woman as a wife at home
By extension intra-relationships is an activity carried on within a relationship for
example the wife having sex with the husband but not with her boss that would be
extra-relationships...

Community – Organisation – Group - Team
A network of relationships or a social network of relationships within a
definitive time frame and own space...
It is this movement I am trying to capture... the movement between control and
resistance to reproduction and transformation... this fluctuating conflict and struggle...
this complicated network of communicated words, actions and processes that are
used in everyday life to control the developing conflicting situations between
activities and relationships and make some logical sense out of it all... to
conceptualise it...
This captured movement I have called 'organisational life'... PBOG

http://www.infed.org/community/sustainable_communities_and_neighbourhoods.htm

Plan – Governance – Policies & Procedures – Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR)

Legal or other Guidelines – Rules and Regulations
Cultural Norms...our management processes the way we regroup or not - social relations
Patterns of Behaviour – Activities – Actions – Outcomes

Rational Organisation – Division of Effort

Total Quality Management (TQM) Do it All Bristol Clive Burgess 1995
http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=841280
PBOG
http://www.wix.com/clive154/pbog
There are four core elements or corner stones that I have used to produce my
conceptual model Plan, Patterns of Behaviour, (Rational) Organisation, Guidelines
(legal or other)

The six main management practices that are seen as important to any enterprise or
business venture, these fit neatly around the outer rim of my model and are used to
capture any unwanted or perceived threats to the enterprise.

These practices are used to control risks, information, legislation, conflict,
operations and finance.

Each one in turn has a certain mechanism that allows them to function in everyday
work situations and can be demonstrated through observation, monitoring or
engaging in any work practice.

These controls are used to maintain collaboration between businesses
objectives/goals and the workforce.

These management practices are used to minimise any damage or harm to the bottom
line or profitability of the enterprise. And control alienated non-compliant, non-
cooperative, non-conformist rebellious and/or deviant employees.

The business objectives/goals originate in the planning process and include such
thing as governance, corporate social responsibility, sustainable development,
employment contracts, policies and procedures.

For simplification I have called this core element of my conceptual model PLAN.
(On a subjective level re activity theory, plan is seen as an internal process)


The words I have used to show the dialectic movement between the core elements
can be found in any of the new legislation produced in the UK since 1992.
Each pair of words (which are used in our everyday language) move in a circular
motion for and against each other in a feedback loop, when forced together they
produce another word that has relevant meaning to the combination of the two.

Each new word/practice in turn is then controlled by another control
mechanism, and one of the six management practices is then used to control the
workforce and the smooth running of the business enterprise.

PBOG Conceptual model: Action research - Participant Observation
Copyright Clive Burgess Sept 2011: Action Science

Input Outcome
Implement
Patterns of Behaviour
PLAN
Review/Evaluate

Cooperation
Focus and Feed-back
Self-
Discipline Condition Competition

Direct, Inform, Instruct, Train

Competence
Legal or other Guidelines Rational Organisation
Coordinate
RULES Division of Effort
Community
Activity Theory

Sociology of Organisational Life...PBOG... a reflection of a managed society
Used to observe and monitor work situations... Copyright Clive Burgess Sept 2011
P - Plan... the thinking body
Governance,Policies, Procedures, Organisation and Arrangements, WI Thomas 'the
definition of the situation', Mao Zedong 'On Practice', Action/Strategic planning etc
B - Patterns of Behaviour - Activity and Actions... Sequence of processes - outcome
Attitude, Aptitude ….this is how it's done round here...
O - Rational Organisation - Division of Effort
we want you to do this with these to produce that...
G- Legal or other Guidelines - Rules, Regulations, Orders, Codes of Conduct,
Codes of Practice... this is how it should be done...

Community – Our Space – Organisation – Group - Team
Abstract... (key) Outcome
Two missing arrows from conceptual model
Enforce/Encourage
add Conform
Follow
Nudging Sanction or Corrective Action
5
Law Management of Legislation

PBOG Keywords: http://www.wix.com/clive154/pbog
MCAP: Management practice – Control – Aspect – Processes

Management of
1 - Information
2 – People - Conflict
3 - Risk
4 - Operations
5 - Legislation
6 - Financial
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Social Control
1 - Meetings (committee, group, team etc)
2 - Roles and responsibilities
3 - Supervision/Involvement
4 - Measure Performance (KIPs Key Performance Indicators, Targets, Benchmarks)
5 – Sanctions - Corrective Action
6 - Audits or self-regulation

Aspects
1 - Consultation
2 - Teamwork (collaboration)
3 - Participation
4 - Management
5 - Conform
6 - Compliance

Micro- Processes
1a – Implement 1b – Review/Evaluate
2a – Cooperation 2b - Competition
3a - Direct, Inform, Instruct or Train 3b - Focus and Feedback
4a – Competence 4b - Coordination
5a – Enforce/Encourage 5b - Follow
6a – Condition 6b – Self-Discipline

Operationalising PBOG with Activity Theory
Pulling the three ideas together... Copyright Clive Burgess September 2011
Control and Reproduction
A Meso theory with Micro processes
Activity Theory: PBOG in Action
Artefact

Input
Input

Activities Object
Subject
Outcome
Input
Patterns
Plan
of
Behaviour
Culture

Guidelines Work Environment Rational Organisation
Meso Level

Managerial control work to reproduce or transform the pattern of behaviour of
the subordinate.

The transformation is brought about by the activities of the subject on the object
through the artefact, and the outcome is the reproduction or the transformation of
the patterns of behaviour in the culture.

This affects the rational organisation and this renews or changes the guidelines
allowing the subject to confirm or change the plans.

The transformation is mediated by the artefact...
The outcome of the transformation goes from the object to the patterns of behaviour...

In other words the purpose of the transformation is the control of the object and the
reproduction of the patterns of behaviour which in its turn reproduces the rational
organisation, which goes through work environment (community) to guidelines
enabling the subject to create new plans.

Activities are at the micro level and culture is at the meso level...
“Information does not necessarily lead to increased awareness, and increased
awareness does not necessarily lead to action. Information provision, whether
through advertisements, leaflets or labelling, must be backed up by other
approaches.” Demos & Green Alliance, 2003

Artefact
Behavioural Safety
Contract Input
Input 'Charter'

Manager/Trainer
Activities Object
Subject
Implement Outcome
Input
Patterns
Plan
Direct of Subordinate
Self- Discipline
Behaviour
Culture
Guidelines Work Environment Organisation
Situation
Meso Level

Managerial control work to reproduce or transform the pattern of behaviour of
the subordinate.

Change in patterns of Behaviour

1 – Internalised Plan input Active Subject – Manager - Trainer – Coach – Mentor

2 – Externalised Plan 'introduce a 'behavioural safety programme'

3 – There are three levels of relationships which influence the change in patterns of
behaviour

i – Macro level – Guidelines
(Law – Rules and regulation produced by the community)
ii – Meso level – Organisation
(Controllers, Producers – The workforce as a collectivity)
iii – Micro level – Object – Motive 'Getting the subordinate to work safely'

4 - Subordinate – Outcome 'Accept the safety culture as part of their own practice...
they can then be compliant with the situation they are in...


Artefact
Behavioural Safety
Contract Input
Input 'Charter'

Manager/Trainer
Activities Object
Subject
Outcome
Input
Patterns
Plan Enforce/Encourage
of Subordinate
Condition
Behaviour
Culture
Competence Organisation
Guidelines
Work Environment Situation

Meso Level

Guidelines (Law – Rules Regulation produced by community)
Micro process – Macro level of relationship

Conditions the internalised plan

Enforces/Encourages a transformation in patterns of behaviour

Competence raises level of competence over - time, skills, knowledge & certification


Artefact
Behavioural Safety
Contract Input
Input 'Charter'

Manager/Trainer
Activities Object
Subject
Outcome
Input
Patterns
Plan Focus & Feedback
of Subordinate
Competition Behaviour
Culture
Guidelines Coordination Organisation
Work Environment Situation

Meso Level

Organisation Micro processes – Meso Level

Coordination – we want you to do this to produce that 'safely' and on time

Focus & Feedback – to the Manager/Trainer – cultural norm

Competition – this is needed in an organisation as a motivational factor for
leadership - it is also need between organisation and organisation to produce
competitiveness...



Artefact
Behavioural Safety
Contract Input
Input 'Charter'

Manager/Trainer
Activities Object
Subject
Outcome
Input Review/Evaluate Patterns
Plan
of Subordinate
Follow Cooperate Behaviour
Culture
Guidelines Work Environment Organisation
Situation
Meso Level

Subordinates Patterns of Behaviour … Micro level Micro Processes

Cooperation... Cultural norm re Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974

Follow... Cultural norm re disciplinary action in workplace settings

Review/evaluate... one's own internalised plan in relation to the artefact and in turn
review and evaluate the plan 'for the introduction of a behavioural safety programme'


Pbog dialectics of activity system 2011

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