Germ cell model is a representation of a contradiction that is at the forefront of activity development. It features the dialectical reason why development is not advancing further as expected, and a possible path to overcome the barriers. Models are rather ambivalent in the way they represent contradictions, since they may not solve the contradiction. There are at least two forces at play within the model. The third force that overcomes the barrier lay the path for future activity development. In the example below, leaders of a utility company discovered the germ cell model that pushed them to an open innovation strategy for transitioning to smart grids. This model was built with LEPOX.
Reference: Engeström, Y., Nummijoki, J., & Sannino, A. (2012). Embodied germ cell at work: Building an expansive concept of physical mobility in home care. Mind, Culture, and Activity, 19(3), 287-309.
