Business Network Research Group
| Links |
| Restricted Area |
Social Network Analysis is providing powerful insights into the ways people relate to one another within and across organisational boundaries. The techniques allow a rigorous quantification of many aspects of relationships that have previously at best been sensed intuitively.
The Business Research Group is applying the techniques of social network analysis to a wide range of business problems, reconceiving individual firms, organisations and markets as structured relationships. We provide:
- Presentations to corporate audiences
- Short courses
- Training in software and analysis
- Problem-solving and software consultancy
- Certified postgraduate courses
- Commissioned research
The University of Greenwich has the largest concentration of business network analysts in the UK. The world’s leading social network analysis software, UCINET, was developed by Martin Everett here, in association with Steve Borgatti at Boston College and Lin Freeman at UC Irvine. Applications are being further supported by theoretical development in dynamic systems.
Business Applications of social network analysis include:
- Improving information flows and knowledge-sharing
- Increasing innovative capacity
- Building communities of practice
- Removing blockages to career progression
- Fast-track integration in mergers
- Better corporate governance
- Improving inter-organisational relationships
- Optimising value systems
- Measuring intangible assets
- Aligning scale and scope
An Illustration
Figure 1. Formal Organisational Structure
Figure 2. Informal Organisational Structure
Figure 1 presents the formal organisational structure of the business, with the managers of functional divisions reporting to the general manager.
Figure 2 presents the results of a social network analysis of the business. It shows that the major information flows within this firm bear little resemblance to the formal reporting structure.
One of the staff of the Corporate unit, David, and one of the Product 1 subunit, Paul, are more important to information flows than the formal head of Product 1, Chris. Nick and Sam are central to information flows throughout the firm. Clearly when people want to know what is going on or what to do, they consult Nick or Sam. This may limit the innovative potential in other combinations of staff tackling problems differently.
The analysis also demonstrates that critical parts of the organisation are isolated from each other. A network optimisation analysis would recommend systems to structure more regular exchanges between these isolated parts.
Research on leading British and US companies has demonstrated the competitive advantage available to firms from adjusting their organisational design to enhance knowledge flows in this manner.
For further information:
Dr Bruce Cronin MA MSc PhD
Business Network Research Group
University of Greenwich Business School
Park Row, Greenwich
LONDON SE10 9LS
Phone: 020 8331 9786
Fax: 020 8331 9005
Email: c.b.cronin@greenwich.ac.uk