Using activity theory to examine information systems for supporting mobile work

An information system delivers support for decision making; however the physical constraints associated with mobile work often means that such support is limited. Despite the limitations, mobile workers manage to get work done. A broader review of a mobile worker's information system use reveals information sources that are outside the usual analysis of the technology and data. Decision making in mobile work would benefit from the development of these alternative information sources. A comprehensive description of the existing information system of mobile workers is a vital step in supporting technology development. This paper considers two different mobile workers, their information system and how they interact with that system. To assist in presenting a holistic view of the case studies, Activity Theory is used as a lens of interpretation

Management of Construction Projects in Vietnam: An Activity Theory Analysis

The analysis of managing construction projects is often reviewed using the iron triangle of time, cost and quality. Researchers in the field of project management have called for new paradigms to be applied to analysing projects. The research in this paper uses Activity Theory as a lens of interpretation to compare the management of construction projects in Vietnam against practices used in developed countries. The research focuses on the work Activity of construction management professionals and the mediating forces that differentiate building in Vietnam. The research found mediating factors such as the physical environment where work was taking place, the low cost of labour and the culture characteristics of loss of face and approach to site safety, played a significant role in the construction Activity in Vietnam. An emergent theme highlighted by using the Activity Theory paradigm is an interconnected relationship between mediating elements in an Activity System

Critical considerations for a closed-loop medication administration system

In recent years, the serious consequences of medical error are realized by both healthcare practitioners and the public because of the critical direct injury towards the involved patients and the high indirect costs subsequently all around the world. The utilization of information and communication technology in this field is recognized to have the potential of improving the quality of clinical treatment and reducing medical errors. To achieve safe and high-quality healthcare service, a closed-loop medication administration is an efficient solution since all the processes are monitored and recorded by the system. Among all the clinical staff, nurses play the most integral role in the whole patient care process in hospitals, including medication administration process with the potential of the medical errors to be recognized, handled and prohibited by nursing staff. Mobile nursing system may have the possibility to improve the efficiency and patient safety through the achievement of closed-loop medication administration

From MCom Visions to Mobile Value Services

The first papers on mobile commerce were offered to the Bled conference commencing in 2000. Initially, they were not received with enthusiasm; the reviewers were rather sceptical as to the research methods used and the visions of a global m-commerce offered. Nevertheless, the first panel sessions were overcrowded and the eBled organizers quickly recognized a new and exciting movement taking shape. The rest is – as the saying goes – history. There are around 6 billion mobile phone users in the world but the mobile services in actual use are – besides voice calls and SMS – rather few (at least in comparison to the hype around smart phones). Based on our experience from annual series of consumer studies we argue that there are fundamental misunderstandings in relation to both the mobile service concept and the basis for building user value. By following the development of mobile technology over a 10 year interval we have found out – much to our surprise - that not much has changed in the actual use of mobile services despite the fact that we have had about three generations of mobile phones during these 10 years. We have summarized insight from panels run at the eBled conferences and from a number of papers presented at the conference and worked out a description of the development of mobile commerce and mobile services

Closed loop medication administration using mobile nursing information system

Through this long journey of PhD study including a research on ‘Closed Loop Medication Administration Using Mobile Nursing Information System’ and the thesis writing, I obtained a lot of knowledge and experience about research method and writing. I really very appreciate the help of all my supervisors

Subject, crowd and the governance of activity: the role of digital tools in emergency response

This thesis examines the role of digital platforms in emergency response contexts and the constitution of relationships between platform users and disaster situations. The conceptual framework is derived from a reading of the Vygotskian notion of tool-mediated, object-oriented activity, which is juxtaposed with the Foucauldian notion of governance. This framework provides the basis for an investigation of the role of digital platforms, exploring the associations between digitally mediated forms of user activity and the discursive relationships among actors in specific situations. The empirical study examines crisis mapping projects and the role of digital platforms in emergency situations, mainly in Russia and Australia. The data collection methods included interviews with key actors and web archiving of digital platforms. The data analysis relies on the integration of a thematic analysis informed by activity theory and by Foucauldian discourse analysis. The thesis highlights the ways in which digital tools constitute the user as subject or object in relation to certain activities. The analysis explores the extent to which digital platforms contribute to the capacity of users to define their relationships with disasters, that is, to engage in self-governance. It also considers the capacity of institutional actors to become dominant in these relationships. The analysis sheds light on various modes of digital governance of the subject by distinguishing between “governance through inclusion” and “governance through exclusion”. Factors found to contribute to the salience of a specific mode of digital governance include “discursive mirroring” and “discursive opportunities”, seen as modes of relationship constituted between individual and institutional actors. Discursive mirroring is shown to be more likely to be associated with governance through exclusion, while discursive opportunities are more likely to be associated with governance through inclusion. An analysis of crowdsourcing practices provides a way of illustrating how, in the context of disaster response, the discursive construction of the crowd by institutional actors is associated with the governance of the crowd’s resources