Re: [xmca] Emotion at Work

In finishing up my dissertation, I ended up back at the Helsinki site
and then moving forward from there. Back to marxists.org in fact... :-)
Theses on Feuerbach gets richer in light of new readings... excuse the
pun.... and trying to work through material. One of my advisor's always
cautioned that one be aware of versions of versions of versions. Worth
going to the sources. Gillen (2000) does a nice piece on “Versions of
Vygotsky”, British Journal of Educational Studies, 48(2), pp.183-198,
discussing issues of translation and true authorship of works printed in
the name of Vygotsky, but I digress.
In terms of activity theory, there was also a nice series in the Journal
of Russian and East European Psychology, May-June, 2004 volume, which
includes, among others : Mikhailov, “Object-Oriented Activity – Whose?”,
pp.6-34; Lazarev, “The Crisis of “the Activity Approach” in Psychology
and Possible Ways to Overcome It”, 35-58; Gromyko, “The Activity
Approach: New Lines of Research”, pp. 59-71; Rozin, “Value Foundations
of Conceptions of Activity in Psychology and Contemporary Methodology”,
pp72-89.
Dot Robbins' work has been another great source for me
(http://faculty.cmsu.edu/drobbins/index.html). She had done some nice
work differentiating between Vygotsky's cultural and historical
approach, activity theory/ies, and sociocultural theory/ies. I like her
view that Vygotsky's work is more a metatheory.
Yeah...everything is filtered through my dissertation these days. Hope
this wasn't too far off.

Andy Blunden wrote:
> Wow! That's a classic article, Mike. Somehow I've gone all these years
> without reading it. I don't think I was aware of how deeply Engstrom
> embedded conflict in his idea of "system of activity"; "contradiction
> between use-value and exchange value" can sound a little dry until you
> realise that this is just the conflict that Helena was referring to,
> viz., class interests!
> This still leaves open a few questions for me:
>
> 1. Why does this seem "cold" especially when we see how
> conflict-ridden is Leontyev and Engstrom's original idea?
> 2. I can see how "systems of activity" arise objectively out of
> contradictions or relations in an existing system of activity, by a
> process of differentiation, but what is the criterion for claiming
> something to be a "system" of activity, rather than just an activity?
> 3. If we can trace the source of negative emotions connected to
> learning, in conflict, what is the place of positive emotions, or are
> emotions simply epiphenomena from the standpoint of learning?
>
> Andy
> At 11:01 AM 5/08/2007 -0700, you wrote:
>> As I think is true for everyone who has been following this thread, I
>> found
>> helena's summaries and commentaries
>> extremely thought provoking. Whenever we dig deep into a topic, as in
>> this
>> case, my overwhelming impulse is
>> to feel as if I have to go back to the beginning and rethink
>> everything, and
>> then I panic because I will not have time
>> to do so, and then I start plotting to teach a class "from the
>> beginning"
>> and then THAT becomes too complicated
>> to arrange, and then I start looking for shortcuts.
>>
>> In what follows I am not following the emotion line of discussion
>> although I
>> believe, along with others here as I interpreted
>> them, that we all believe emotion to be deeply implicated in
>> learning/work/earning a living/....... My only thought is that
>> I want to remember moments of positive emotion, as illustrated in the
>> article and many places, and not restrict emotion
>> to the consequences of conflict. I don't thinks michael r does this,
>> but in
>> a couple of the posts, the times of intense
>> positive emotion experienced might get submerged.
>>
>> Rather, I think as I read through some dozen+ messages that the terms
>> "activity" and "activity system" are floating around
>> in ways that leave me confused, at times, to whether and when people are
>> agreeomg, elaborating, or talking about different
>> things.
>>
>> I started stumbling over the "making a living" "vs" "commercial fishery
>> production" as different activity systems. There seems
>> to me to be something incommensurate, in time scale, in what we could
>> mean
>> by "motive", "need" or "object" these vastly
>> different enterprises. The relations can't, it seems to me, be seen as
>> activity 1<-->activity2 etc, but perhaps, I was thinking
>> in terms of embedding, where "fish farming" is one of many historically
>> accumulated ensemble of activities that, as an ensemble,
>> constitute "making a living" for the social group or the socium in
>> general.
>>
>> Following this line of thought, I was led backward in my thinking to
>> Yrjo's
>> philosophical anthropology of the evolution from animal
>> to human activity, where human activity is vastly more differentiated
>> (in
>> his representation of it) than animal activity.
>>
>> I have no great insights to offer here. For those who have never done
>> so, it
>> might be worthwhile looking at
>>
>> http://www.edu.helsinki.fi/activity/pages/chatanddwr/activitysystem/
>>
>> where this story is told in synoptic form and the issue of division
>> of labor
>> and class come up as well.
>>
>> Thanks a lot for the stimulus to re-education, all.
>> mike
>>
>> On 8/5/07, Steve Gabosch <sgabosch@comcast.net> wrote:
>> >
>> > Many aspects of the situation Wolff-Michael
>> > describes in the fish hatchery with Erin and Jack
>> > - layoffs, new management, new policies,
>> > initiative from workers ignored, solidarity among
>> > workers, negative attitudes, arguments with
>> > management, budget cuts, threats of job cuts -
>> > remind me of hundreds of similar situations I
>> > have experienced in the aircraft manufacturing
>> > plants I worked at for many years, and just
>> > retired from (yea!!). A complex work
>> > environment like a fish hatchery or a mega
>> > manufacturing company tends to exaggerate the
>> > dynamics and contradictions of everyday activity
>> > - the class conflicts in particular between
>> > people are more pronounced and expressed in more
>> > specific ways in a larger production oriented
>> > workplace than is typically found in a shopping
>> > mall, neighborhood, or even a school, where
>> > conflicting needs and motives between and within
>> > people are always there but tend to be more
>> > smoothed over and less obvious. As Helena
>> > indicates, in workplaces, especially if there is
>> > open activity supporting workers (organizing a
>> > union, getting a better contract, fighting for
>> > better working conditions, opposing
>> > discrimination), deeper social questions rise to
>> > the surface and can become explicit. And it most
>> > certainly is a world of many emotions, emotional
>> > payoffs, varying emotional payoffs, which is
>> > Wolff-Michael's most important point - emotions are very much at
>> work at
>> > work.
>> >
>> > A way I try to make sense of the zillion
>> > conflicts between people that can be observed in
>> > a large factory or any work environment is to try
>> > to get a handle on what a person's concrete needs
>> > and motives are. There is usually much more
>> > going on than meets the eye. Sometimes, even the
>> > persons involved are not fully aware of (able to
>> > fully articulate verbally) the multiple needs and
>> > motives that are driving them and the people
>> > around them. Helena points to a very common
>> > conflict, between participating in production and
>> > earning a living - layoff situations. During a
>> > layoff, as with Erin, the relationship between
>> > these two activities becomes problematic. I have
>> > sure seen that many times! I have been through
>> > several waves of massive layoffs at Boeing, which
>> > tends to have a cyclical production cycle, and
>> > emotions certainly do run high on the job during
>> > these very difficult situations.
>> >
>> > Safety issues are another arena where
>> > "participating in production" can conflict with
>> > worker's self-interests. Although people are not
>> > necessarily fully conscious of it, these issues
>> > get resolved almost minute to minute in dynamic
>> > ways, sometimes resolved by choosing to get
>> > something fixed or changed, generating potential
>> > conflicts with supervision, sometimes resolved by
>> > working around or through the safety or health
>> > issue, perhaps just accepting the wear and tear
>> > on one's body and taking other little
>> > risks. These issues can hide beneath the surface
>> > for a while and then break out more dramatically
>> > when someone gets hurt or something otherwise
>> > goes wrong (and then the fingerpointing begins,
>> > where needs and motives may get openly
>> > debated). Helena alludes to this when she
>> > points out how safety questions, especially
>> > incidents and near misses, are really good ways
>> > to get people to talk about their jobs. Part of
>> > what makes these stories so interesting is the
>> > way they reveal conflicting needs and motives,
>> > between labor and management, between different
>> > workers with different tasks, between a worker and herself or himself.
>> >
>> > Another area of conflicting motives and needs I
>> > have seen over the years: during union activity
>> > that could result in a strike, solidarity can
>> > come into conflict with earning a living. Some
>> > contemplate crossing a picket line, a
>> > particularly dramatic example of dealing with
>> > conflicting motives in a work situation - and one
>> > with consequences that are likely to generate
>> > very tense emotional valences, sometimes for a long time after.
>> >
>> > - Steve
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > At 07:17 PM 8/4/2007 -0500, you wrote:
>> > >Andy --
>> > >
>> > >Almost. It's not the *key* fact about emotion.
>> > >However, when there is conflict between the
>> > >bottom line and the attempt to earn a living,
>> > >that conflict shapes the knowledge that people
>> > >bring to bear on resolving the conflict.
>> > >Sometimes there is no conflict. Either way, the
>> > >kind of knowledge that people develop in order
>> > >to survive and protect or improve their jobs is
>> > >emotionally charged, and that emotion can be
>> > >seen to have been shaped by the social relations of their work.
>> > >
>> > >Take symphony orchestra players -- for example,
>> > >the Milwaukee symphony. They organized a union
>> > >(based on the example of the Chicago symphony)
>> > >back in the 1970's or earlier. When they started
>> > >bargaining, the job of a symphony musician was a
>> > >terrible job. (To check out what a "bad" job for
>> > >performers is, take a look at the Washington DC
>> > >ballet.) Over the course of 30 years, the
>> > >Milwaukee job has become better and better. The
>> > >musicians have a considerable amount of power --
>> > >over the choice of program, the hiring of a
>> > >conductor, the hiring of new musicians, loans
>> > >for instruments, conditions while touring, etc.
>> > >Whether the city can afford the good working
>> > >conditions is another question. Negotiating an
>> > >incrementally better contract year after year
>> > >takes knowledge. That knowledge has an emotional
>> > >valence, positive valence -- to use Wolff-Michael's terms.
>> > >
>> > >At the other extreme, remember the Sago mine
>> > >tragedy? There was one survivor. While he was in
>> > >a coma, his wife was interviewed on television.
>> > >She described how she and her husband had talked
>> > >about how dangerous the mine was. The problem
>> > >was that if he left the mine, she'd have to go
>> > >to work, and there was no job she could get that
>> > >would pay enough to support them and cover
>> > >childcare. The actual level of danger, the
>> > >immediacy of the danger, was unknown to them,
>> > >although that information existed. This was a
>> > >mine that had been closed but reopened when the
>> > >price of gas rose and coal became economically
>> > >viable. It was a non-union mine. The calculation
>> > >that she and her husband made about his
>> > >likelihood of surviving his job was deeply
>> > >fatalistic. This is a case where someone knew he
>> > >was engaging in very dangerous work but just
>> > >went ahead and did it because he felt he had no other choice.
>> > >
>> > >People do work all the time that exposes them to
>> > >risks, and they know it, and sometimes they know
>> > >how to do something about it and sometimes they
>> > >just shrug their shoulders and say, "I can't do anything about it."
>> > >
>> > >This body of knowledge about how to survive a
>> > >job, and how to protect or improve it, is common
>> > >across all kinds of work. Symphony musicians can
>> > >talk to grocery clerks can talk to social
>> > >workers can talk to prison guards can talk to
>> > >teachers about what they know about it. The
>> > >emotions are all over the map, depending on
>> > >their job, but the knowledge is something they have in common.
>> > >
>> > >Helena Worthen
>> > >NEW EMAIL: hworthen@uiuc.edu
>> > >Chicago Labor Education Program
>> > >Suite 110 The Rice Building
>> > >815 West Van Buren Street
>> > >Chicago, IL 60607
>> > >312-996-8733
>> > >
>> > >-----Original Message-----
>> > >From: xmca-bounces@weber.ucsd.edu
>> > >[mailto:xmca-bounces@weber.ucsd.edu] On Behalf Of Andy Blunden
>> > >Sent: Saturday, August 04, 2007 1:39 AM
>> > >To: eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity
>> > >Subject: RE: [xmca] Emotion at Work
>> > >
>> > >That's fascinating Helena. I feel I've got to know you for the first
>> > time.
>> > >Thank you.
>> > >
>> > >Just to clarify: you are saying that conflict (interpreted as
>> conflict
>> > >between activity systems, endowing actions with conflicted
>> motivations,
>> > >significance, etc.) is *the key* fact about emotion. yes? Would
>> you go
>> > any
>> > >further than this? Or is this too narrow?
>> > >
>> > >Andy
>> > >At 07:04 PM 3/08/2007 -0500, you wrote:
>> > > >Hello -- I'll try to respond to Wolff-Michael, Andy and Paul all
>> > together,
>> > > >since all three are picking up on my claim that two, not one
>> activity
>> > > >systems are taking place in the fish hatchery where the
>> employees that
>> > > >Wolf-Michael observed are working. I especially want to reply to
>> Andy's
>> > > >question, "If someone were to deny that, say, earning and living
>> and
>> > > >producing a product, were two different activity systems, how
>> would you
>> > go
>> > > >about justifying that?"
>> > > >
>> > > >It has to do with what you're trying to do, what you need the
>> theory to
>> > be
>> > > >able to show or explain.
>> > > >
>> > > >Wolff-Michael's discussion article is an effort to enrich and
>> expand
>> > the
>> > > >theory itself, and I thank him for doing that. He is writing "as
>> part
>> > of
>> > > >an effort to develop third-generation-historical activity
>> theory," and
>> > to
>> > > >incorporate emotion, motivation and identity into that theory.
>> If you
>> > > >picture his audience, he's speaking to other researchers and the
>> > academic
>> > > >community generally. His data contributes to this effort.
>> > > >
>> > > >I'm dealing with a different problem. I'm trying to explain
>> something
>> > that
>> > > >is going on in my classes. However, I can't do it without ALSO
>> > speaking
>> > > >to the same audience as Wolff-Michael and engaging with theory.
>> This is
>> > > >because theory is an indispensable tool for successful practice.
>> But
>> > I'm
>> > > >trying to answer the question, "How do we explain the intense
>> emotion
>> > with
>> > > >which the learning produced at work is charged?"
>> > > >
>> > > >In my job as a labor educator for the University of Illinois, I
>> teach
>> > > >people about work from the point of view of workers. This means
>> > everything
>> > > >from labor history, labor law, basics of representation and
>> bargaining
>> > to
>> > > >job design, including safety. Just as in any teaching, I have to
>> find
>> > out
>> > > >what my students, most of whom are working adults, already know in
>> > order
>> > > >to figure out how and what to teach them. This is axiomatic in
>> teaching
>> > > >kids and undergraduates -- you build on prior knowledge, right? But
>> > when I
>> > > >start to investigate what my adult students know, I find it charged
>> > with
>> > > >strong -- sometimes extreme -- emotion. It has other
>> characteristics as
>> > > >well, but the one that surfaces immediately in the classroom is
>> this
>> > > >emotion. It can run the gamut from despair to pride to gratitude to
>> > > >bitterness. Whatever it is, that's what a teacher has to build
>> on. For
>> > my
>> > > >practice as a teacher, I need theory that can account for this. As
>> > > >Wolff-Michael shows, this emotion is integral to the cognitive
>> activity
>> > > >going on. The cognitive activity is not "cool," it's hot. Where
>> does
>> > this
>> > > >emotion come from? Thus my investment in seeing CHAT developed to
>> > account
>> > > >for emotion.
>> > > >
>> > > >Sociocultural learning theory generally assumes that social
>> context has
>> > a
>> > > >powerful, if not fully determinative impact on learning. The
>> Engestrom
>> > > >model -- the famous triangle -- gives us a representation of
>> what we
>> > mean
>> > > >by "social context." Andy, since you ask about "unit of
>> analysis," I'll
>> > > >respond by saying that I'm happy with the concept of "unit of
>> analysis"
>> > > >and furthermore, I like Engestrom's model as an image of the
>> unit of
>> > > >analysis of an activity system. It's a concise way to visualize
>> all the
>> > > >things you have to think about when you ask, of a situation,
>> "What's
>> > going
>> > > >on here?" or of a person or group of people, "What are they doing
>> > here?"
>> > > >The Engestrom model leads me to ask, "What's the nature of the
>> division
>> > of
>> > > >labor that I'm looking at?" "Who is the community out of which
>> these
>> > > >people have been selected?" "What are the history, the
>> traditions, the
>> > > >customs, the rules of this activity?" "What are they using -- what
>> > > >material or cultural tools, what resources or equipment?" and most
>> > > >important, "Why are they doing what they're doing?"
>> > > >
>> > > >One of the things you can do with that model is talk about how it
>> > > >transforms and expands, moves via contradictions from one
>> activity to
>> > > >another, is part of a network of activity systems or is nested
>> in other
>> > > >activity systems (I'm looking at Engestrom 1987 Figure 2.11 and
>> 2.12,
>> > > >here). All I've done is place one activity system opposite another
>> > > >activity system to represent that there is a conflict between
>> the two
>> > > >activity systems. One is the activity system of production, the
>> other
>> > is
>> > > >the activity system of earning a living.
>> > > >
>> > > >This is the image I propose to represent the difference between the
>> > kind
>> > > >of learning activity that workers engage in when learning how to
>> do the
>> > > >work they are hired to do, as opposed to the kind of learning
>> activity
>> > > >that workers engage in when they are learning how to survive at
>> their
>> > job
>> > > >or how to protect or improve their working conditions. These two
>> > activity
>> > > >systems are driven by different motives. Sometimes there is no
>> conflict
>> > > >between them but sometimes the conflict is extreme. Either way,
>> we need
>> > to
>> > > >be able to theorize what's going on. Either way, the social
>> > relationships
>> > > >of those activity systems impact the learning activity and leave
>> their
>> > > >mark on it. It seems reasonable to me that that is where the
>> emotion
>> > comes
>> > > >from.
>> > > >
>> > > >Other major theories of learning do not have the potential to be
>> > developed
>> > > >in this direction. Some theories of learning are individual
>> (Kolb). But
>> > > >even among theories that treat learning as a collective activity
>> > > >-- distributed cognition, legitimate peripheral participation,
>> > > >communities of practice, human capital theory -- we don't hear
>> about
>> > > >conflict. Sometimes this doesn't matter. When we're talking about
>> > school
>> > > >learning or informal learning such as second language acquisition
>> > outside
>> > > >school, we may not need to be able to talk about the conflicting
>> > purposes
>> > > >of the site where the learning is being produced. But if we're
>> talking
>> > > >about working adults (of whom there are a lot), we do need to be
>> able
>> > to
>> > > >surface the reality that what people learn in order to meet the
>> demands
>> > of
>> > > >production is sometimes in conflict with what people learn in
>> order to
>> > > >survive their jobs, and that this conflict generates emotions
>> which, as
>> > > >Wolff-Michael puts it, "are integral to the cognitive activity."
>> > > >
>> > > >The easiest stories to elicit from students that illustrate this
>> > conflict
>> > > >are stories about safety incidents -- accidents, near misses, etc.
>> > > >
>> > > >Helena
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >Helena Worthen
>> > > >NEW EMAIL: hworthen@uiuc.edu
>> > > >Chicago Labor Education Program
>> > > >Suite 110 The Rice Building
>> > > >815 West Van Buren Street
>> > > >Chicago, IL 60607
>> > > >312-996-8733
>> > > >
>> > > >-----Original Message-----
>> > > >From: xmca-bounces@weber.ucsd.edu
>> [mailto:xmca-bounces@weber.ucsd.edu]
>> > On
>> > > >Behalf Of Paul Dillon
>> > > >Sent: Friday, August 03, 2007 5:56 AM
>> > > >To: eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity
>> > > >Subject: Re: [xmca] Emotion at Work
>> > > >
>> > > >Helena,
>> > > >
>> > > > As I read your comments I found the first activity system
>> > > > described/named but not the second except insofar as you
>> identified
>> > it's
>> > > > object: making a living, which you contrasted to the object of the
>> > first
>> > > > activity system: being a fish culturist. But the first activity
>> > system,
>> > > > the focus of the discussion paper, was also clearly identified in
>> > other
>> > > > activity theoretic categories in your comments. Perhaps
>> Wollf-Michael
>> > is
>> > > > right in saying there is only one activity system. But if we,
>> > adopting
>> > > > Marx's categories as Engestrom applied them, consider that the
>> > use-value
>> > > > of being a fish-culturist is doing the best job and getting the
>> > biggest
>> > > > and healthiest fish as a member of the entire team, while the
>> > > > exchange-value of that job is for each member of the system
>> "making a
>> > > > living", the fundamental condition of wage labor, is the problem
>> > > > resolved? I don't remember any analysis of the contradictions
>> > > > between use value and exchange value of the fish culturist's labor
>> > in
>> > > > the paper.
>> > > > Not too sure about this expanding power stuff either.
>> > > >
>> > > > I don't know if Engestrom has changed his position about the
>> > > > contradictions between use and exchange value in activity
>> systems but
>> > > > perhaps that would account for your concern which seems to be
>> > addressing
>> > > > the class character of all labor in capitalist economies. Our
>> ability
>> > to
>> > > > participate in "this or that activity" is a function of the
>> market for
>> > > > the labor commodity, no matter how skilled. Certainly,when one
>> does
>> > the
>> > > > best job they can but still gets laid off, frustration and
>> resentment
>> > > > arise. I'm not sure whether the term "wage-laborer", someone
>> who haas
>> > to
>> > > > "make a living", as opposed to someone who inherited a lot of
>> money
>> > for
>> > > > example, is a category of a specific activity system or one of the
>> > > > principles of all activity systems in capitalist economies. The
>> > latter
>> > > > is how I understand Engestrom when he evaluates how ithis
>> > contradiction
>> > > > works itself out in the different vertices.
>> > > >
>> > > > As far as production, distribution, exchange, consumption in the
>> > > > Grundrisse, Marx's analysis in that work showed how production was
>> > > > determinant of the of the others despite their ability to be
>> analyzed
>> > in
>> > > > terms of each other. Hence commodity production as determines the
>> > > > specific characteristics of the other elements of the economic
>> system
>> > as
>> > > > a whole.
>> > > >
>> > > > Paul Dillon
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >Wolff-Michael Roth <mroth@uvic.ca> wrote:
>> > > > Hi Helena,
>> > > >I am sure all appreciate your extensive comments as much as I
>> do. The
>> > > >one question I have is about the two activity systems and how
>> you see
>> > > >them as operating in the hatchery.
>> > > >
>> > > >I think if you took Marx's Capital, or perhaps rather Klaus
>> > > >Holzkamp's extension of Leont'ev, you would think of one rather
>> than
>> > > >of two systems. As individuals, we expand our own room to
>> maneuver---
>> > > >control over our life situation---if we contribute to the
>> collective
>> > > >control over life conditions. By participating in this or that
>> > > >activity (Tätigkeit, deyatel'nost'), we expand our person
>> control---
>> > > >we buy food, clothing, a roof over our head, etc.
>> > > >
>> > > >Now you COULD see it as two systems, but the second would be an
>> > > >integral and constitutive part of the first, just as Yrjö (1987)
>> > > >cites the GRUNDRISSE, where Marx writes how production can be
>> > > >analyzed in terms of consumption, exchange, distribution, and
>> > > >production; and each of these terms in turn can be analyzed in
>> terms
>> > > >of production, consumption, distribution, and exchange. Thus
>> > > >productive activity, such as working in a fish hatchery, involves
>> > > >exchange processes---but whether these constitute activity
>> > > >(Tätigkeit, deyatel'nost') is another question, which is answered
>> > > >when you ask, so what is societal about this?
>> > > >
>> > > >Thanks again for your careful reading,
>> > > >
>> > > >Cheers,
>> > > >
>> > > >Michael
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >On 1-Aug-07, at 9:20 AM, Helena Harlow Worthen wrote:
>> > > >
>> > > >Hello, xmca --
>> > > >
>> > > >I hope this response is not too late to re-engage in the discussion
>> > > >of Wolf-Michael's paper "Emotion at Work." It always seems to
>> take me
>> > > >a while to work my way through a paper. By the time I get
>> through it,
>> > > >and then read through the discussion, the discussion has started to
>> > > >fade. In addition, I tend to write pretty long responses because I
>> > > >come to these discussions as a labor educator and therefore
>> imagine,
>> > > >rightly or wrongly, that I have to load up my contribution with
>> some
>> > > >explicit explanations. So apologies for the long post and the late
>> > > >contribution, but I'm very interested in hearing anyone's reply.
>> > > >
>> > > >Helena Worthen
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >Comments on Wolf-Michael Roth's paper, Emotion at Work (MCA14, 1-2)
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >Wolf-Michael follows the work experience of two employees at a
>> > > >federal fish hatchery in Canada over a period of five years, with a
>> > > >return visit one year after the five-year period. In this
>> article, he
>> > > >is concerned with investigating the relationship between
>> emotions and
>> > > >motivation and identity for the purpose of incorporating these into
>> > > >activity theory, which he says has tended toward being a theory of
>> > > >"cold cognition." He compares the emotions, motivation and work
>> > > >identities of two employees, Erin and Jack, to show how their
>> > > >feelings about their work relate to their motivation and identity -
>> > > >or more specifically, how their emotions about their expertise at
>> > > >work and the degree to which it is valued in the workplace affect
>> > > >their motivation to do their work and consequently, their
>> identity as
>> > > >workers.
>> > > >
>> > > >Bringing emotion into the discussion of the production of knowledge
>> > > >at work is very important, and this ethnographic study provides
>> > > >plenty of material. As someone whose job (labor education) consists
>> > > >of teaching employees about the social relations of employment from
>> > > >the perspective of workers, I appreciate attempts to approach the
>> > > >profoundly important question of how people feel about what they
>> know
>> > > >and how this affects what they learn on the one hand and what
>> they do
>> > > >with what they know on the other hand. Since learning goes on
>> all the
>> > > >time at work, and since the success or failure of both workers and
>> > > >workplaces is tightly related to what is learned and what is done
>> > > >with that knowledge, this is a question of general interest to both
>> > > >employees and management.
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >However, I would argue that Wolf-Michael's study would benefit
>> from a
>> > > >step which would have to be taken early in the analysis. I would
>> like
>> > > >to see the comparison of the emotional valence of Erin and Jack's
>> > > >deployment of their expertise framed in terms of not one activity
>> > > >system but two. First is the activity system of production and
>> second
>> > > >is the activity system of earning a living. Through the division of
>> > > >labor of the first system, Jack and Erin are fish culturists,
>> engaged
>> > > >in fish feeding, ordering feed, cleaning the fishpond and other
>> > > >actions that contribute to the overall activity of fish hatching
>> (p.
>> > > >45). In this first system, their goal-directed actions are
>> consistent
>> > > >with the collective motive of the hatchery: hatching fish. But
>> > > >through the division of labor of the second, they are employees who
>> > > >are trying to earn a living. Not always, but sometimes, these two
>> > > >activity systems conflict, with resulting tensions between the
>> > > >emotions, motivations and identities associated with them. Wolf-
>> > > >Michael notes that Jack and Erin could be doing the same actions
>> in a
>> > > >backyard fish pond, where they would also be engaged in a different
>> > > >activity system (motivated by recreation, not production or
>> earning a
>> > > >living), but he doesn't distinguish between the two activity
>> systems
>> > > >that are taking place at the workplace - fish hatching and
>> earning a
>> > > >living.
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >For example: Wolf-Michael's description of Erin's voice pitch as
>> she
>> > > >analyses the computer generated plot of fish length and weight
>> > > >(rising pitch, positive valence of emotion) is taken from a moment
>> > > >when she is talking about her work in the activity system of fish
>> > > >hatching. He does not provide a description of her voice pitch when
>> > > >she is talking about the changes undertaken by the new
>> management or
>> > > >the impending layoffs, although he does report that at the time
>> when
>> > > >she is being laid off, the emotions expressed through voice
>> pitch (p.
>> > > >50) are wider in range and there are "many more emotional outbursts
>> > > >with large differences" (p 52). I would have said here that we're
>> > > >looking at the emotional tension between Erin's pride in her
>> > > >expertise as a fish culturist and her anger as an employee at being
>> > > >laid off - one activity system (fish culturing) is going well
>> and the
>> > > >other (earning a living) is going badly. If we are looking at two
>> > > >systems, we can understand why Erin, for example, might feel proud
>> > > >and committed with regard to her work as a fish culturist but
>> anxious
>> > > >and even bitter with regard to her job, and that these two emotions
>> > > >would be in tension with each other.
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >Similarly, Wolf-Michael's description of Jack's emotional state
>> could
>> > > >also benefit from being understood as the tension between being
>> > > >engaged in two conflicting activity systems at once. Wolf-Michael
>> > > >gives us more information about Jack. Although he is a gifted and
>> > > >conscientious fish culturist who developed some original
>> experiments
>> > > >and did research that at first got some recognition, the
>> hatchery is
>> > > >now under the new management and support for his professional
>> > > >development has evaporated. He is seeing doors of opportunity
>> > > >closing. He's understandably angry and cuts back on his
>> investment in
>> > > >the fish hatchery beyond what he has to do to earn a living: he re-
>> > > >calibrates his commitment to being just an employee.
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >Separating out these two activity systems early in the analysis
>> > > >allows us to see how the knowledge or expertise produced within
>> each
>> > > >of them becomes charged with emotional valence. Wolf-Michael
>> proposes
>> > > >"positive" and "negative" labels for this valence, which we might
>> > > >expand by proposing pride, enthusiasm, elation, curiosity, anxiety,
>> > > >disappointment, fear, anger, bitterness, etc - some of these are
>> Wolf-
>> > > >Michael's. This separation would open the door in two directions.
>> > > >In one direction we would look outward to the pressures on that
>> > > >workplace from society which are typically transmitted through
>> > > >management into a workplace. In the other direction we would
>> look to
>> > > >see the relationship between individual workers and the
>> collective of
>> > > >workers. Activity theory helps us hold these two perspectives
>> steady
>> > > >while we investigate what is going on in each of them.
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >Looking outward, in order to really understand the social
>> > > >relationships of a workplace and thereby to interpret how people
>> are
>> > > >behaving and feeling, we need to be explicit about the industrial
>> > > >relations system within which that workplace is operating. We
>> need to
>> > > >look closely at the concrete reality of the division of labor that
>> > > >has sorted some people into management, others into employees
>> (or in
>> > > >this case, two people into management, five into fish culturalists,
>> > > >two into maintenance/administrative assistant staff workers, and
>> > > >perhaps thirty into seasonal employees). Looking inward, we need to
>> > > >understand what kind of solidarity (Michael's word in page 59,
>> > > >although he notes it as something that "fuels invidiaul short-and
>> > > >long-term emotional states") is available to the employees.
>> These two
>> > > >dimensions, both easily approached through activity theory, will
>> give
>> > > >us the concrete reality of the kind of control that the managers
>> have
>> > > >(or don't have) over the work done by Jack, Erin and the other
>> > > >employees. How was this division of labor established and how is it
>> > > >maintained? What are its edges and limits? What are the
>> resources of
>> > > >the employees? The answers to these questions would provide the
>> > > >framework, or matrix, within which the emotions that
>> Wolf-Michael is
>> > > >writing about are generated.
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >Wolf-Michael tells us a few things about the concrete social
>> > > >relationships of the hatchery, so that we can extrapolate what is
>> > > >probably going on. There are 18 federal fish hatcheries in this
>> > > >province and this one employs 2 managers, 5 culturists, a
>> maintenance
>> > > >person and an administrative assistant, and up to 30 seasonal
>> temps.
>> > > >This means that there are not a lot of alternative jobs for fish
>> > > >culturists (especially for one like Jack who has only a high school
>> > > >education) so that keeping one's job is very important. There is
>> new
>> > > >management and thus probably new employment practices on the
>> agenda.
>> > > >Costs are closely watched to the point of choosing what kind of
>> feed
>> > > >to give the fish and whether to drive 50 kilometers to exchange
>> a set
>> > > >of keys, and the survival of hatchery is always in question (p.
>> 53).
>> > > >We can't tell much more than this, except that "collectively, then,
>> > > >there was a sense that things were going from bad to worse" (p.
>> 56).
>> > > >It would help if we knew what the overall agenda of the new
>> > > >management was with regard to budget and target number of
>> employees;
>> > > >that, after all, is the overarching framework of the social
>> > > >relationships of the workplace which are being experienced by the
>> > > >employees. If we were looking at this material as an activity
>> system
>> > > >in which managers were trying to manage a workplace during a period
>> > > >of budget cuts and downsizing, and employees were trying to earn a
>> > > >living and protect or improve working conditions (including job
>> > > >security and earnings) at that same workplace, we could understand
>> > > >the emotional valence in which the knowledge of how to do these
>> > > >complementary and conflicting activities becomes charged.
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >It's within the workforce, obviously, not between the two managers,
>> > > >that the "sense that things were going from bad to worse" is
>> > > >generated. Wolf-Michael notes this: "Interactions with the new
>> > > >managers were laden with conflict" (p. 57). We are now looking at
>> > > >Jack as a member of the workforce, and Erin as a member of the
>> > > >workforce - them as employees, not as fish culturists. Not
>> > > >surprisingly, Jack - who as an older employee (he was in fact once
>> > > >Erin's mentor) has fewer options in case he is laid off -
>> resorts to
>> > > >his knowledge of how to behave as just an employee - not someone
>> who,
>> > > >as a fish culturist, gives 300%, but someone who as an employee
>> > > >calculates how to invest the least effort for the highest
>> return. He
>> > > >works to rule and minimizes contact with the new management.
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >Finally, in the absence of making the distinction between the two
>> > > >activity systems that are going among the workers at the fish
>> > > >hatchery at the same time (hatching fish and earning a living), we
>> > > >have a hard time making sense of what we're reading on several
>> > > >accounts. The fish hatchery is referred to as a "collective."
>> > > >Although we are not told much about the collective solidarity of
>> the
>> > > >workforce, it sounds as if Jack is pretty isolated in his
>> withdrawal
>> > > >into work to rule. When we get to the final section on page 59
>> where
>> > > >Wolf-Michael is talking about the phenomenon of collective emotion
>> > > >and its connection to individual emotion,it sounds as if he's
>> saying
>> > > >that everyone who works at the fish hatchery, the new management
>> > > >included, is part of the collective. I would argue that the
>> > > >collective is not the whole hatchery including the new management,
>> > > >but that it's the employees for whom the hatchery is a way to
>> earn a
>> > > >living. This essence, which can be left in the background when
>> > > >budgets are generous and jobs are secure, jumps into the foregrand
>> > > >during a period of layoffs and budget cuts, which is what is
>> > > >happening in this fish hatchery.
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >Helena Worthen
>> > > >
>> > > >University of Illinois Labor Education Program
>> > > >
>> > > >Institute of Labor and Industrial Relations
>> > > >
>> > > >hworthen@uiuc.edu
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
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-- 
He only earns his freedom and his life, who takes them every day by storm.
-- Johann Wolfgang Goethe
Emily Duvall
Doctoral Candidate (ABD) / Graduate Assistant-Instructor
Language and Literacy Education (LLED)
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
College of Education
Penn State University
256 Chambers Bldg.
University Park , PA  16802
814-861-3315 (home)
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