Demonstrations of the Activity Theory Framework for Research in Information Systems

Abstract

The holistic and insightful nature of the (cultural-historical) Activity Theory has led to its use by several researchers as a suitable vehicle for understanding and analysis in many areas of IS research and practice. This paper demonstrates the application of Activity Theory to the study of socio-technical systems which mediate complex, collective activities in the modern workplace and in everyday life. Vignettes from five ongoing research projects are reported in order to illustrate not only the explanatory power of the Activity Theory research framework but also its use in determining appropriate methods used to manage the data collection and analysis processes as well as its interpretation., The paper demonstrates the variety of IS topics where an Activity Theory based approach is able to add richness and insight.