A systems analysis of communication: Defining the nature of and principles for communication within human activity systems

Communication within Human Activity Systems plays a critical role in organizational change. However, research on communication typically expresses communication as a tool to evaluate the current state of an organizational system, or as a vehicle to change the current state of the system to a more desired future state. It is rarely considered from a holistic viewpoint, being a complex system with an integrated effect on the organization as a whole. The holistic understanding of communication as an emergent system from the interaction of elements and activities within Human Activity Systems is required to better manage factors impacting effective communication. Presented in this article is an ontological framework characterizing the behavior of communication in Human Activity Systems as well as its role in organizational change, encompassing the nature of communication and its impact on Human Activity Systems. Furthermore, principles for communication, within the bounds of Human Activity Systems, are derived to provide researchers and practitioners a methodology for assessing the interaction of these two systems. These principles are expected to provide a change in perspectives of communication in Human Activity Systems and allow for a more optimal design of both systems and their interactions.