Laura Seppänen

Learning as Changes in Activity Systems The Emergence of On-Farm Biogas Production for Carbon Credits

On-farm biogas production (BP) has many environmental benefits for agricultural systems. The authors describe the evolution of a system as a learning process within BP, the outcome of which is the development of a programme of sustainable swine production. According to cultural–historical activity theory, learning is understood as a transformation of the motivating object of an activity system and its structure. First, the authors present the theoretical concepts of an activity system, including its contradictions and expansion, and then describe the methodology used in the study for data collection and analysis. The historical data and accompanying analysis are then presented in temporal phases, followed by an identification of what triggered learning and expansion during the process, and an explanation of how the nature of the activity changed. Finally, the authors reflect on what such a theoretical analysis of an activity can bring to the notion of social learning.

A Developmental Perspective to Studying Objects in Robotic Surgery

Drawing on interventionist activity theoretical approaches, this paper describes a method of self-confrontation as a way in which to study objects in technology-mediated practices. In addition to research interests, the aim of examining the objects is to develop the capacity of professionals and organizations to work and learn better in complex technology-mediated work. The method was applied in robotic surgery, in which instruments are tele-operated by a surgeon. The robot offers better, collective visualization of the area under surgical operation than previous techniques. In particular, the paper shows how objects were revealed and new objects emerged during the intervention. We suggest that activity theoretical developmental interventions such as self-confrontations may help understand the complexity and evolution of objects, and thus contribute to studies of technology and organizations.

Understanding the motivational perspectives of sustainability: A case of biogas production

Despite the importance of the expectations and visions of the actors involved in sustainable innovations, only the societal, motivational perspective is usually considered. The fact that local actors may have different multimotivations is typically overlooked. The aim of this study is to examine and understand the multi-motivational perspectives in a sustainable production project. First, we introduce the concept of the object and analyze the case of a biogas production project as a mediating activity for making swine production more sustainable. We argue that the object of the activity, as manifested in motivational perspectives, shapes the way in which biogas production (BP) systems are implemented. The article concludes by discussing how the concept of object can be used to explore the actual and future possibilities of using artifacts for increasing the sustainability of production.

On-Demand Work in Platform Economy: Implications for Sustainable Development

The global importance of crowd or on-demand work via digital platforms is increasing. Platform enterprises create and manage two- or many-sided markets by enabling suppliers and buyers of services meet in a flexible and scalable way, creating new economic efficiencies. However, platform work may also increase invisibility, uncertainty, risks, and competition for workers [2]. This paper investigates the sustainability of on-demand work through a dynamic analysis of the resources available to workers when facing an abrupt change in their work organization. Our empirical case is a platform-driven food courier company in the Helsinki region, Finland. We discuss the resources we found in the light of the immunity, control and fungibility mechanisms that lead to both opportunities and vulnerabilities for the on-demand workers [9]. The paper yields practice-based empirical insights of how immunity, control and fungibility are experienced by workers, and thus add our understanding of the often invisible and dark side of on-demand work. At the end, we present our conclusions regarding research on sustainable development.

Logics of fluency in the transformation of the Finnish rail traffic control network

Due to the international demands of competition and organizational changes, the tasks of rail traffic control in Southern Finland have been divided into those run by public agencies and those run by private companies (train operators). The working routines and collaboration have changed during this period of transition. To better understand the reasons for diversity in the actions and solutions of everyday work, this paper examines how fluency, a common objective of networks, is maintained or pursued in network collaboration. The analysis shows how the logics of fluency differ between operative and situational disturbance-handling design levels. We elaborate and discuss the developmental possibilities embedded in the analysis of logics.