Social Network Analysis & an Introduction to Tools

Social Network Analysis

Patti Anklam Columbia IKNS 4305 Unit 3

April 2013

I’ve become convinced that understanding how networks work is an essential 21st

century literacy.

Howard Rheingold

Columbia IKNS Residency April 2013

Agenda

―The language of networks

―Networks in organizations

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Social Network Analysis

Introduction to tools for social, organizational, and personal network analysis

The New Language of Networks

http://www.dftdigest.com/images/Spyglass.jpg

We live in networks all the time

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• We live in networks all the time: communities, organizations, teams

• There is science to support the understanding of network structure

• The structure of a network provides insights into how the network “works”

• Once you understand the structure, you can make decisions about how to manage the network’s context

• Network analysis tools help you understand the structure


The Premise: Networks Matter

• The complexity of work in today’s world is such that no one can understand – let alone complete – a task alone – Individual-individual – Team-team – Company-company – Eco-system to eco-system

• Strong networks are correlated with health: – People with stronger personal networks are more productive, happier,

and better performers – Companies who know how to manage alliances are more flexible,

adaptive and resilient – Our personal health and well-being is often tied to our social networks

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The Importance of Understanding Networks

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The new science of networks

• Beginning in the 1990’s computer science made it possible to map and analyze large social networks.

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2009

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• By 2009, network science and analysis are accepted practice in science and management

• Insights became accessible to the public.

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Network Perspective

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• If it’s a network, you can map it: – People-people

– Group-group

– Within organizations

– Across organizations

• A network is a collection of entities linked by a type of relationship

• All networks have common properties and can be analyzed – Information artifacts

– Ideas & issues

Node

Tie


Rob Cross’s Classic Case

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From: The Organizational Network Fieldbook, Rob Cross et al, Jossey-Bass 2010


A Classic Case

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A Classic Case

From: The Hidden Power of Social Networks, Rob Cross and Andrew Parker, Harvard Business School Press, 2004 12



A Classic Case

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A Classic Case

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It’s all about Questions

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Patterns provide insights that provoke good questions. Full stop.


Map Patterns

Multi-Hub Hub and Spoke

Stove-piped (Siloed) Core/Periphery

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The Unit of Analysis: The Relationship

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Different Questions, Different Maps

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“I interact with this person somewhat frequently”

“I understand this person’s knowledge and skills “ (Agree or Strongly Agree)

• Look at the whole network and its components

Network Analysis Also Provides Metrics

• Look at positions of individuals in the network

Centrality Metrics

Structural Metrics

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Structural Metrics

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• Common measures:

–Density of interactions

–Average degree of separation

–Cross-group or cross-organization connectivity

• Good for comparing questions, groups within networks or for comparing changes in a network over time

Look at the whole network and its components

Interpreting Results

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“I interact with this person twice a month or more”

I understand this person’s knowledge and skills (Agree or Strongly Agree)

Density: 11% Distance: 2.7

Density: 28% Distance: 1.8

How the Metrics Enhance the Maps

2010

2011 Year # Density Avg #

ties

2009 55 2.2% 1.2

2010 90 2.7% 2.4

2011 85 5.3% 4.5

2012 82 8% 6.88

2009

2012

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Centrality Metrics

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Look at positions of individuals in the network

• Good for identifying people who are well positioned to influence the network or to move information around

• Common measures:

–Number of connections

–Frequency of occurrence on paths between others

–Diversity of connections

Identifying Key People

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Who are the people who are best positioned to move information through the network?

In-degree: 16 Betweenness: 1125





Positional Sleuthing in ONA

• Based on this data:

• Who should Jerry appoint as his successor?

• Who do you think Jerry actually appointed as his successor? Why?

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AB

DG

KF

KSMK

NM

NS

PM

PP

RC

RR

SK

Diversity

• Organization

• Expertise

• Age, Tenure

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AB

AL

BG

DC

GP

MB

PM

SA

• Social Ties

• Geographic location

• Hierarchical position

The Importance of Diversity

People who live in the intersection of social worlds are at higher risk of having good ideas. –

Ron Burt

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Detecting Diversity

• Who is more likely to have access to new ideas?

– Tom

– Marion

• Why?

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KM Interventions

Ways to change patterns in

networks

Practices from the KM Repertoire

Create more connections Make introductions through meetings and webinars, face-to-face events (like knowledge fairs); implement social software or social network referral software; social network stimulation

Increase the flow of knowledge Establish collaborative workspaces, install instant messaging systems, make existing knowledge bases more accessible and usable

Discover connections Implement expertise location and/or; discovery systems; social software; social networking applications

Decentralize Social software; blogs, wikis; shift knowledge to the edge

Connect disconnected clusters Establish knowledge brokering roles; expand communication channels

Create more trusted relationships Assign people to work on projects together

Alter the behavior of individual nodes Create awareness of the impact of an individual’s place in a network; educate employees on personal knowledge networking

Increase diversity Add nodes; connect and create networks; encourage people to bring knowledge in from their networks in the world

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Organizational Networks Summary

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• The science of networks has brought insights into the structure of organizational networks

• Organizational network analysis lets us map relationships that reveal the informal networks through which work gets done

• Developing and sharing these maps helps organizations improve collaborative capacity, overcome obstacles to effective sharing, and redesign their work relationships

• Results are a guide to asking good questions and should never be interpreted as an “answer”

Introduction to Organizational, Social,

and Network Analysis Tools

http://quilting.about.com/od/picturesofquilts/ig/Alzheimer-s-Quilts/The-Ties-that-Bind.htm

Basic Terminology

• Node: an individual person in the network. Sometimes called a vertex.

• Tie: a relationship between two nodes. Sometimes called a link, sometimes an edge.

• Ties are either directed, in which case the arrows provide “from – to” information, or undirected

• The complete set of nodes and ties is often called the social graph, or simply the graph

Nodes and ties: the graph

Basic Terminology

• Degree: The number of ties a node has is its degree, which can be distinguished between in-degree and out-degree. Node B has an in-degree of 4. Node E has an out-degree of 2

• Path: The sequence of ties and nodes between one node and another. Node D has two paths to Node C

• Path length: number of degrees between two nodes. Often called the distance between two nodes.

Paths and degrees


Basics of Network Map

Core

Periphery

Isolates

Structural Hole

Cluster

Math Behind the Science

• Relationships (ties) among people (nodes) can be analyzed:

– Distances between nodes (and averages)

– Centrality of nodes

– Average density of interactions

• Mathematical formulas identify patterns, clusters, cliques

What Sorts of Tools Are There?

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• Range in complexity of function & cost

• Let you access and map your own network

Social Media Applications

Tools Designed for SNA/ONA

Specialized assessment instruments

• PNA (personal network assessment) tool offers individualized results

Mapping and Analysis Tools

Tool Basics – The Questions

• Improve collaboration

• Finding connectors and influencers in organizations and communities

• Leadership development

• Performance benchmarking

• Integration of units following merger/acquisition

Problem (Examples) Relationships of Interest

• Access to expertise

• Innovative & capacity

• Collaborative capacity

• Ease of knowledge flow

• Decision-making and task flow

• Innovation potential

• Energy

Shares new ideas with

Seeks help for problem-solving Works closely with Knows expertise of

Questions: the art of the network analysis

Tool Basics – the Dataset

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Information about the nodes (vertices) and the ties (edges)

Load and Draw…

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Short List of Resources for SNA/ONA Tools

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http://tinyurl.com/SNA-ONA-Tools


Network Insights Don’t Require Fancy Software

• If it’s a network, you can draw it.

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Our Networks and Social Media

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http://inmaps.linkedinlabs.com/


Where’s Kate?

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Facebook

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Understanding Your Personal Network

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Focus Purpose How to Develop

Operational Getting work done efficiently

Identify people who can block or support a project

Personal Develop and maintain professional skills and reputation

Participate in professional associations, clubs, and physical and online communities

Strategic Figure out and obtain support for future priorities and challenges

Identify lateral and vertical relationships outside your immediate control

Source: “How Leaders Create and Use Networks,” Herminia Ibarra and Mark Hunter, Harvard Business Review January 2007


The PNA (Personal Network Assessment)

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Summary

• Social network analysis tools and methods are available to map organizational as well as the individual’s personal network

• The tools matter less than the network mindset – and the understanding that the structure of a network matters

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Question

• [email protected]

•http://www.pattianklam.com

Thank you.

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mailto:[email protected]



Social Network Analysis & an Introduction to Tools

Business

personal network assessment

persons knowledge

organizationalnetwork fieldbook

tool basics

rob cross

move information

strongly agree

social