Developmental Work Research

Book excerpt: "Developmental work research is an innovative approach to the study and reshaping of work and learning. It expands cultural-historical activity theory by bringing it to the domains of work, technology and organizations. The world of work is in turmoil, increasingly dominated by 'runaway objects' generated by globalization and greed (global markets are such massive objects out of control). Yet it is the object that motivates work and generates visons of better future. The use values of objects have not vanished, although they are more difficult to grasp than perhaps ever before. Developmental work research rediscovers and expands use values in runaway objects. In workplace interventions it engages practitioners in expansive re-forging of the objects of their work."--Cover.