Activity Theory and its Role in Training and Development - Essay Example

Activity Theory and its Role in Training and Development Sub Paper Due Contents Introduction 3 The Activity Theory: A Historical Background 3 A Conceptual Understanding of The Framework 4 Applying the Six Elements to Training and Development Needs 5 Object orientation 5 Subject (internalization) 5 Community (externalization) 5 Tools (mediation) 6 Division of Labor 6 Rules 6 Integrating the Elements: Putting Facts into Perspective 7 How organizations assess training needs 7 How does the activity theory assist in the process? 7 How effective is the use of the theory in identifying and understanding training and development needs? 8 Sources 9 Activity Theory and its Role in Training and Development Introduction As organizations are acknowledging the importance of human resource management in general, they also realize the need for integrating HRM with the various functions of the organization, and the rewards to be reaped from it in terms of increased efficiency, productivity and growth. A very important sub-function of HR is training and development, which serves to benefit both the organization (with monetary returns) and the individuals in the organization (in terms of personal growth and development). Many studies have found that investing in human development pays huge returns to the organization. These returns include better trained and motivated employees, a more efficient workforce, increased loyalty to the organization, higher productivity, and increased understanding of and adherence to the organization’s goals and objectives. Not only that, but developing individuals can also be seen as a variation of corporate social responsibility. With so many returns to be attained from it, it is not surprising that organizations are investing heavily in training and development. Unlike the past, where T&D was strictly restricted to technical skills, it now incorporates soft skills, originality of thought, self-motivation, and a well-rounded skill set (Bloom’s taxonomy most notably supports this view). Of course, this needs a deep understanding of the functioning of the human mind and this is where HRM comes in close contact with psychology theories. Of the many theories used in contemporary organizational training and development, we shall discuss the activity theory and whether it can be used to understand T&D needs. The Activity Theory: A Historical Background Soon after the Russian revolution in 1917, efforts were put into the development of a new aspect of psychology, based on Marxist philosophy. The idea that human psychology cannot be viewed in an isolated frame was just beginning to take footing (Bannon, L). The previous notion that human psychology is merely a set of reflex actions pre-installed in a person was now challenged by several researchers. The work of three researchers, Vygotsky, Leont’ev and Luria, is of particular significance to the activity theory. Vygotsky founded the basis of the theory in the form of cultural historical psychology. Leont’ev developed the theory further, first studying animals and then humans. He suggested that every action of a person does not merely act so satisfy a need; rather, when viewed in a social setting, various actions of a person work to contribute towards a particular need or end goal. A second strand of development includes the work of some Russian scientists who focused on the neurophysiologic aspect of the human mind and functioning. A third strand of work, carried out by Scandinavian researchers in the 1980s, aims at linking this theory with other major concepts of psychology and intellectual development. Over the years, the theory has been developed and refined to a great degree; especially in the incorporation of the human-computer theory into the activity theory. (Wikipedia) A Conceptual Understanding of The Framework If described in very simple terms, the aim of theory is to understand the mental capabilities of an individual. These mental capabilities are not studied in isolation, but rather in a social, technical and cultural context. The basic idea of the theory is that humans and the environment interact with each other by means of “tools” and within a framework of certain rules. Going deeper into the details, the theory discusses six main elements (defined by Leont’ev 1981 and redefined by Engestrom 1987): Object-orientation; Subject (internalization); Community (externalization); Tools (mediation); Division of labor; and Rules (Bryant et al) In its strictest sense, then, the activity theory can be seen not as a theory but as a set of principles that can provide ground for further theories (Bannon L). It focuses on describing how the activity system takes place, rather than predicting future behavior. It takes into account a person’s environment, history, social setting, motivation and the like at three levels. The activity theory provides a perspective on human activity and concepts for describing that activity. How then, does the activity theory relate with understanding and identifying T&D needs in organizations? Applying the Six Elements to Training and Development Needs Object orientation Object orientation refers to the objective of the activity system. In the case of training and development, these objectives may be to train an individual or group for better performance, to enhance the organization’s productivity, to teach technical skills to the staff, or to develop the organization through increasing the skills levels of the workforce. For example, suppose an accounting firm wants to decide whether or not it needs to train employees to improve their presentation skills. Its objective here will most probably be to have employees who can not only perform their tasks well, but also be able to communicate them effectively with the company’s clients; and this way increase clientele for the company. This objective will guide the company’s decision whether to train the employees. Subject (internalization) This refers to the individuals involved in the activity. In an organizational context, the subject becomes the individual/group being trained. Community (externalization) The community, according to Engestrom, is the accumulation of all persons/factors involved in the activity set. For T&D, this would be the managerial staff, the trainers, the peers, the expectations from the individual or from the training program, the motivation levels, various parties involved in the program, etc. For instance, to understand the training needs of its employees, an organization might wish to review the work culture of the organization. It may then come to the conclusion that it is not lack of training that is resulting in poor performance, but the fact that the organizational culture is such that rewards those who flatter the boss rather than those who work more efficiently. In that case, the organization would conclude that it does not require training the employees but to change the company’s culture or its reward system. Tools (mediation) These are the tools use T&D, the tools could involve any of the various equipments used for training, such as work samples, simulation, teaching tools, testing tools, the internet, or various forms of technology. For example, an organization that wants to educate its line managers on better implementation of health and safety measures may simulate situations that adhere to common dangers like electrocution. These simulations are the tools used in this activity system. Division of Labor The division of labor refers to the structure in which the work activities are divided amongst the various actors in the system. In the context of training and development, we consider various participants such as the trainers, the trainees, the peers, the management and such. For example, suppose a certain training program aims at improving communication skills in an organization’s employees. For this purpose, the trainers split the employees into teams, which are then assigned tasks to work on. At the end of their tasks, the teams will interact with each other and share their learning and outcome. The division of the tasks, the role of each individual in the team, and the tasks of the trainers can all be seen as division of labor in the activity system. Rules Finally, the rules dictate the framework within which all the actors of the system will operate. For an organization, these include the company’s rules and regulations, the legal framework, ethical constraints and the like. Integrating the Elements: Putting Facts into Perspective So far, we have discussed the elements of the activity theory in a rather technical way. To see more clearly how the theory helps specifically in understanding and identifying training and development needs, let us integrate all the elements to form a more generalized view. How organizations assess training needs Assessing training and development needs in an organization is generally a three step process. First the organization as a whole is assessed to look for areas of potential development. The organization reviews any gap between the organization’s actual performance and the targeted levels. The reasons for any shortfall are examined as to whether it may be due to a lack of training. As the next step, job functions are examined, to see what tasks may be required to perform a specific job effectively. Finally, the organization reviews its employees to see if their performance is up to the mark (that is, if they are accomplishing the tasks efficiently) or not. Those employees whose performance can be improved with training (and the cost of their training is less than the benefits to be attained from training them) are then shortlisted for training. How does the activity theory assist in the process? An organization ultimately comes down to a group of individuals (employees), and it is the performance of these individuals that makes or breaks the organization. True, external factors also play a role, but the most important difference between a successful company and an unsuccessful company rests on the shoulders of the employees. The purpose of organizational training is to understand the needs of both the organization and the individuals, and to integrate these needs into a program that benefits all. In other words, training does not just refer to teaching the accountant accounts and the mathematician math. In today’s business world, training employees means teaching the employees to take ownership of the organization and their work, and to be able to see how they fit into the bigger picture. This means that an individual’s technical expertise itself does not suffice; rather, you have to view the individual in his/her surroundings, and the individual himself/herself also has to be aware of those surroundings. How effective is the use of the theory in identifying and understanding training and development needs? The theory suggests that activities performed by an individual cannot be viewed in isolation, or as complete acts in themselves, with each act serving to fulfill a specific need. The same way, an individual’s technical training cannot be considered in isolation and be expected to be sufficient for enhanced performance. For example, let us consider an organization that has recently noticed that its sales staff in a particular region is not performing up to the mark of the rest of the departments and other divisions. Looking more closely at the statistics, the organization realizes that the sales of that region have fallen since a recent restructuring in the staff, even though the market conditions are constant. The sales per salesperson are low compared to other regions, and the company concludes that the new salespeople are not sufficiently trained. The company spends large sums of money on a highly structured training program, but six months later, the sales levels have declined even further. Such a scenario is possible if an organization does not consider the interaction of the “community” with the individual. In this case, the organization did not stop to consider that the poor performance may be because the recent restructuring involved letting go of some senior employees and caused resentment amongst the remaining staff; or it could be caused because salespeople were shifted to the region from other areas, and have little motivation to work in the new region; or it could be merely due to the employees not being satisfied the new manager. Thus, the organization ignored the context of the employees’ performance, and took their actions to be solely directed towards a need. This resulted in the training budget being wasted. In conclusion, organizations no longer function by focusing only on their employees’ hard skills; they realize that performance can be improved only by taking an integrative approach and having all-rounded employees. In this modern approach to training and development, the activity theory helps describe the functioning of the individuals in the organization, and provides a framework to assist organizations in assessing training needs. Nevertheless, the fact that the activity theory is merely a descriptive tool means that while it can assist with analyzing the process; it cannot give insights into the future, or provide a criteria on which to decide whether to go ahead with the training. This way, the tool can only be used for exploratory study, and not to reach a conclusion based only on the theory. Finally, the theory gives a generalized view, and has nothing HR-specific that would recommend its use in training and development. Sources 1. Business Balls. 2015. Blooms Taxonomy - Learning Domains. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.businessballs.com/bloomstaxonomyoflearningdomains.htm. [Accessed 14 March 15]. 2. Ditsa, G. (2003). Activity Theory as a Theoretical Foundation for Information Systems. 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