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Bocconi University – Ph.D. School
Social Network Analysis
Doctoral Seminar
Fall 2015
Instructor : Prof. Giuseppe (Beppe) Soda
Office Hours:
giuseppe.soda@unibocconi.it
Overview
Organizational social network research has achieved a prominent position in management and social sciences as evidenced by the network theme of the Academy of Management meetings in Denver in 2002, by special issues appearing in our major journals, and by the sheer volume of work that uses network ideas and network methods. Network studies have appeared regularly in management journals, contributing to the investigation of a wide range of organizational topics across different levels of analysis. The following figure illustrates the exponential growth of network research since his origin in the fields of socio-psychology and anthropology.
2 The objective of this course is to familiarize students with the theory, research and methodological issues connected with social network analysis in organizational contexts.
Upon completion of the course, students should have a good grasp of social network concepts and methods, and be able to use them to conduct research. A tutorial prepared by the instructor in three main sections will be circulated to support both your conceptual and methodological learing.
Please come to class prepared to discuss the readings for that day. Where appropriate, we have assigned data and theory exercises to illustrate specific topics. Your completion of these exercises is an important aspect of the class, and will help familiarize you with the UCINET software that includes the standard tools used in organizational network analysis.
Please, download on your PC the latest version of UCINET VI (www.analytictech.com)
Course Evaluation
Class contribution
(class discussion, and, of course, attendance and punctuality): 40%
Final paper: 60%
Students are required to do a short paper that should involve the exploration, from a social network perspective, of a theory-driven question of interest to management scholars. Here are some options to consider.
a) A critical literature review. This should be focused on some specific aspects of organizational social network research. Be sure to specify the boundaries of your review with respect to level of analysis and substantive domain.
b) A theory development. Instead of reviewing literature, you could try to propose a new theoretical direction and specify a research agenda.
c) A empirical research. Using a data-set you can try to test some hypothesis addressing Network issues.
Online links
International Network for Social Network Analysis (INSNA) home page http://www.heinz.cmu.edu/project/INSNA/
Academic Dishonesty
All of us in the class are expected to abide by the highest standards of professionalism with respect to issues such as avoiding plagiarism.
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Instructor:
Giuseppe “Beppe” Soda: PhD in Management, Bocconi University, Professor of Organization Theory at Bocconi University, and Head of Department of Management & Technology (email: giuseppe.soda@unibocconi.it). He has been a visiting professor at the Heinz III School, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburg (PA, USA), 1999-2000, at Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota (2005, 2006 and 2007), and at IE Business School Madrid (2010). In his research and teaching activity has been awarded for: Excellence in Research Award, Bocconi University 2013, 2012, 2009, 2008 and 2001; Excellence in Teaching Award for undergraduate courses, Bocconi University (2006-2007); Best Paper Award , Bocconi School of Management (2005), MBA Teacher of the Year, SDA Bocconi School of Management (2005); Master Teacher of the Year, SDA Bocconi School of Management (2004); Case Study of the Year 1999.
His research interests are broadly concerned with understanding how organizational networks and inter-firm collaborations making influence on organizational level outcome, where do networks come from, how they evolve over time, and impact of time on the relationships between network structures and outcome. He has also investigated how network analysis can be used to design effective organizations and firm governance. Broadly, themes that he has been researching include: Antecedents, mechanisms and forms of Interfirm networks; the performance implications of inter-organizational networks; the impact of time on the relationships between network structures and outcome; the genesis and dynamics of network structures; network approach to organizational and governance design; co-evolution of meanings and network structures within organizational teams.
His works have been published in Administrative Science Quarterly, Organization Science, Academy of Management Journal, Strategic Management Journal, The Academy of Management Annals, Journal of Management, Strategic Organization, Advances in Strategic Management, Organization Studies, British Journal of Management, Research in Organizational Sociology, Industry and Innovation, European Management Journal, and in books published by Oxford University Press, Routledge, and Ashgate.
Additional information at personal page link at:
http://didattica.unibocconi.it/docenti/cv.php?rif=48816&cognome=SODA&nome=GIUS EPPE
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Topics and Assigned Readings
(optional readings are indicated by an *)
CLASS 1 (sessions 1 -2)
INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE AND FOUNDATIONS OF SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS
Readings:
D. Brass and M. Kilduff. 2010. Organizational social network research: Core ideas and key debates. The Academy of Management Annals, 4(1).
S. P. Borgatti and P.C.Foster. forthcoming. The Network Paradigm in Organizational Research: A Review and Typology. Working Paper. Distributed in class.
W.W. Powell and L. Smith-Doerr, 1994. “Networks and Economic Life”, in N.J. Smelser and R. Swedberg (Eds.) Handbook of Economic Sociology, 368-402, Princeton University Press.
(Copies available at Ph.D office)
Brass, D.J., Galaskiewicz J., Greve, H.R., Tsai, W., (2004). Taking stock of networks and organizations: a multilevel perspective. Academy of Management Journal, 47(6): 795-817. (available on DISK L)
Provan, K. G., Fish, A., & Sydow, J. 2007. Interorganizational networks at the network level: a review of the empirical literature on whole networks. Journal of Management, 33: 479-516. (available on DISK L)
A Grandori and G.Soda, 1995. “Interfirm Networks: Antecedents, Mechanisms and Forms”,
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CLASS 2: (sessions 3 -4)
Network Analysis: Familiarize with Ucinet, basics of SNA and graph theory
(Bring your laptop with installed Ucinet VI)
Readings:
Tutorial part I.
S.Wasserman and K.Faust, 1997, “Social Network Analysis in the Social and Behavioral Science”, in S.Wasserman and K.Faust Social Network Analysis: Methods and Applications, 3-27, Cambridge University Press. (Copies available at Ph.D office)
S.Wasserman and K.Faust, 1997, “Social Network Data: Collection and Applications”, in S.Wasserman and K.Faust Social Network Analysis: Methods and Applications, 28-66, Cambridge University Press. (Copies available at Ph.D office)
1) Creating working folder in UCINET 2) Importing data
3) Visualization using NetDraw
4) Basic Networks matrices transformations
5) Basic Network metrics (Cohesion, Sub-groups and clusters, Centrality) 6) Exercises
CLASS 3: (sessions 5 -6)
Social and relational capital (All papers are available on DISK L)
Required Readings
Foundations
Nahapiet, J. and S. Ghoshal 1998. "Social Capital, Intellectual Capital, and the Organizational Advantage.", Academy of Management Review 23(2) 242-266.
Adler, P.S., Kwon, S.W., (2002). Social capital: prospects for a new concept. Academy of Management Review, 27(1): 17-40.
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Intra-organizational social/relational capital and impact on individual and organizational performance
Tsai, W., & Ghoshal, S. 1998. Social capital and value creation: The role of intra-firm networks. Academy of Management Journal, 41: 464-476.
Podolny, J.M. & Baron, J. 1997. Resources and relationships: Social networks and mobility in the workplace. American Sociological Review, 62: 673-693.
Moran, P., (2005). Structural vs. relational embeddedness: social capital and managerial performance. Strategic Management Journal 26: 1129–1151.
G. Soda and A. Zaheer, “A Network Perspective on Organizational Architecture: Performance Effects of the Interplay of Formal and Informal Organization”. Strategic Management Journal, 33(6): 751-771, 2012
Inter-organizational social/relational capital and impact on organizational performance
Koka, B., Prescott, J., (2002). Strategic alliances as social capital: a multidimensional view. Strategic Management Journal, 23: 795–816.
Suggested readings
* Oh, H., Myung Ho, C., & Labianca, G. 2004. Group social capital and group effectiveness: the role of informal socializing ties. Academy of Management Journal, 47: 860-875.
* Kenis, P., Knoke, D., (2002). How organizational field networks shape interorganizational tie-formation rates. Academy of Management Journal, 27: 275-293.
*Perry Smith, J. E. 2006. Social yet creative: The role of social relationships in facilitating individual creativity. Academy of Management Journal, 49:85-101.
*Broschak, J. P. 2004. Managers' mobility and market interface: The effect of managers' career mobility on the dissolution of market ties. ASQ 49:608-640.
*McPherson, M., & Smith-Lovin, L. 2006. Social isolation in America: changes in core discussion networks over two decades. American Sociological Review, 71: 353-375. *Coleman, James S. 1990. “Social Capital”. In: Foundations of Social Theory (Chpt. 12),
Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
*Baker, W.E., & Obstfeld, D. 1999. Social capital by design: Structures, strategies, and institutional context. In Leenders & Gabbay (eds.), Corporate Social Capital and Liability: 88-105. Boston: Kluwer.
7 *Coleman, J. S. 1988. Social capital in the creation of human capital. American Journal of
Sociology, 94: S95-S120.
*Burt, R. S. 2000. The network structure of social capital. Research in Organizational Behavior, 22: 345-423.
CLASS 4 AND CLASS 5 (sessions 7-8-9-10)
Network Structures, strength of ties and their implications for organizational outcomes (All papers are available on DISK L)
Bring your laptop with installed Ucinet VI
Required readings
Network and Innovation/Creativity
Fleming, L., Mingo, S., Chen, D., (2007). Collaborative brokerage, generative creativity, and creative success. Administrative Science Quarterly, 52: 443-475.
Burt, R.S. 2004. "Structural holes and good ideas." American Journal of Sociology, 110: 349-399. Ahuja, G. 2000 "Collaboration networks, structural holes, and innovation: A longitudinal study."
Administrative Science Quarterly, 45: 425-455.
Network and Knowledge Sharing
Reagans, R., and B. Mc Evily. 2003. “Network Structure and Knowledge Transfer: The Effects of Cohesion and Range.” Administrative Science Quarterly, 48: 240-267.
Contingencies factors moderating relationships between networks and outcomes
Soda, G., Usai, A., & Zaheer, A. 2004. Network memory: The influence of past and current networks on performance. Academy of Management Journal, 47: 893-906.
Xiao, Z., Tsui, A. S. 2007. When brokers may not work: the cultural contingency of social capital in Chinese high-tech firms. Administrative Science Quarterly, 52: 1-31.
B.McEvily, G.Soda, and M.Tortoriello: “More Formally: Rediscovering the Missing Link between Formal Organization and Informal Social Structure”. The Academy of Management Annals, 8(1): 299-345, 2014
Martin Gargiulo and Mario Benassi, (2000) “Trapped in your own net? Network cohesion structural holes, and the adaptation of social capital”, Organization Science, 11
8 * Granovetter, M. 1973. The strength of weak ties. American Journal of Sociology, 78:
1360-1380.
* Soda, G., Zaheer A, and Carlone A., Imitative Behavior: Network Antecedents and Performance Consequences. Advances in Strategic Management, special issue Strategic Network, J.Baum and T. Rowley (eds), Vol 25, 2008.
* Burt, R. S. 2006. Second-hand brokerage: Evidence on the importance of local structure for managers, bankers, and analysts. Academy of Management Journal, 50: 119-148.
* Nelson, Reed E. 1989 "The strength of strong ties: Social networks and intergroup conflict in organizations." Academy of Management Journal, 32: 377-401.
* Burt, R.S. 1992. The social structure of competition. In Structural holes: The social structure of competition. Cambridge, MA: Harvard.
CLASS 6: (session 11-12)
Bring your laptop with installed Ucinet VI
Advanced Network metrics (Ego-networks, Roles and Positions, test of Hypotheses)
Origins and evolution of networks
G. Ahuja, G. Soda and A. Zaheer, “Genesis and Dynamics of Organizational Networks”,
Organization Science, 23:434-448, 2012.
A.Zaheer and G.Soda “The Evolution of Network Structure: Where Do Structural Holes Come From?”, Administrative Science Quarterly, March 2009.
Gulati, R., and M. Gargiulo. 1999. "Where do interorganizational networks come from?"
American Journal of Sociology, 104(5): 1439-1493.
Next waves for network research: Advanced research agenda
Cues for final assignment
