2018

Fox, Stephen; Kotelba, Adrian

Entropy in workplaces is situated amidst workers and their work. In this paper, findings are reported from a study encompassing psychomotor work by three types of workers: human, cyborg and robot; together with three aspects of psychomotor work: setting, composition and uncertainty. The Principle of Least Psychomotor Action (PLPA) is introduced and modelled in terms of situated entropy. PLPA is founded upon the Principle of Least Action. Situated entropy modelling of PLPA is informed by theoretical studies concerned with connections between information theory and thermodynamics. Four contributions are provided in this paper. First, the situated entropy of PLPA is modelled in terms of positioning, performing and perfecting psychomotor skills. Second, with regard to workers, PLPA is related to the state-of-the-art in human, cyborg and robot psychomotor skills. Third, with regard to work, situated entropy is related to engineering of work settings, work composition and work uncertainty. Fourth, PLPA and modelling situated entropy are related to debate about the future of work. Overall, modelling situated entropy is introduced as a means of objectively modelling relative potential of humans, cyborgs, and robots to carry out work with least action. This can introduce greater objectivity into debates about the future of work.