Seeing Workplaces from a Social Network Analysis (SNA) Approach

Abstract

The aim of this chapter is to introduce Social Network Analysis (SNA) in the context of work organisations. The examples and terms are expected to show how SNA contributes to workplace learning research by helping us understand what happens, under the surface of the workplaces, in the formal or hidden informal structures. A social network is defined as a set of interacting social entities, such as individuals or groups, and the relationships among them. From a methodological point of view, this chapter targets basic-level concepts and quantitative analysis, not a qualitative approach or the newest or most advanced techniques. The framework focuses on terms of cohesion, structural equivalence, and personal (egocentric) networks. The emphasis is on the cohesion approach, which refers to measures of connectedness and togetherness within a network. Often, it means emphasising the number of relationships among colleagues and how these relationships are distributed to create structures and borders within workplaces. Some empirical examples from a work organisation are presented at the community, organisational, and individual levels.