Action regulation theory as a tool for qualitative analysis

This paper presents a method of qualitative analysis which has become quite popular in Europe, and in Scandinavia in particular, but has received little attention in Australia and Asia. Action Regulation Theory (ART) provides an analytical framework capable of providing organisational analysis at the micro level. The framework considers individual job design and work process issues The paper forwards an introductory glimpse of the theory providing researchers an idea of what it will do, where it comes from and how it works. It provides interested parties an idea of a new and alternate method of qualitative analysis in organisational environments. Overall, ART provides an analytical process which allows the examination and optimisation of organisation workflow based on two complementary procedures. In the first part of ART workers are studied to determine their approach to task planning and execution. In the second part workers are analysed according to their regulations of tasks which takes a closer look at creative and cognitive abilities which lead to workflow efficiencies.