8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

1/42

Social Network AnalysisExamining the Role of Network Ties in Supporting KnowledgeManagement

Jennifer MaddrellAECT 2009 - Louisville, KY - October 29, 2009

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

2/42

Purpose

Review of Sociology Literature What can be learned about knowledgenetworks from social network analysis

theory and research?

Influence of Network Ties

Heuristics and Questions from

Research Network Examples

Networked Professional Development

Networked Classroom

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

3/42

Social Network AnalysisResearchers

Thomson Reuters

ISI Web of KnowledgeDatabase

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

4/42

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

5/42

Citations to Granovetter

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

6/42

86% of Citations to 2 Papers

Granovetter, M. S. (1973). TheStrength of Weak Ties. The

American Journal of Sociology,

78(6), 1360-1380.

Granovetter, M. S. (1985). Economic

action and social structure: Theproblem of embeddedness.

American Journal of Sociology,

91(3), 481-510.

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

7/42

Granovetter Social NetworkAnalysis

Suggested as way to bridge micro andmacro levels of sociological theory

Micro: small groups

Macro: diffusion, mobility, communityorganization

Focuses on:

Strength of interpersonal ties Impact of ties on macro level issues

Theory and research on social structurebeyond the primary group and on

relationships between groups

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

8/42

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

9/42

Strong and WeakInterpersonal Ties

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

10/42

Influence of Network Ties

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

11/42

Diffusion

Assumptions

All bridges are weak ties

New information spreads through

weak ties

Implications

Those without weak ties lack new

messages However transmission through

indirect ties can become distortedand prone to misunderstanding

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

12/42

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

13/42

Bridging Value

Assumptions

Weak ties are valuable as theyfacilitate connections to other

networksTends to hold true for higher rather

than lower socioeconomic groups

Implications Weak ties offer mobility through new

connections

Theory refined to suggest the value of

each bridge not equivalent

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

14/42

Network Norms

Assumptions

Dense networks have a highproportion of interconnections

Network density plays a role inestablishing norms

Implications

Norms will likely to form in densenetworks more

Large groups less able to set andenforce norms

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

15/42

Collective Action

Assumptions Cost of membership = network

participation

Interdependence fostered when onepersons participation depends uponthe participation of another

Implications Discourages support for lurkers in the

network

Reciprocal obligations fuel collectiveaction

Coordination of contributions within

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

16/42

Questions for FutureResearch

What are the characteristics of weaktie bridges that make somesuccessful and others less

successful? How does network content,

governance and structure emerge

and develop over time? What is the potential for interplay

between dense networks ofstrong

ties and weak tie bridges?

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

17/42

Heuristics

Identify and utilize weak tieconnections to spur innovation andmessage diffusion

Support inter-unit bridges Span structural holes for strategic

advantage

Promote interdependence among strongtie clusters

Support relationships among denselyclustered strong tie relationshipsthrough coordination of

contributions

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

18/42

Some examples

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

19/42

Networked ProfessionalDevelopment

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

20/42

The EdTechTalk.comWebcasts

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

21/42

Networked Connections

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

22/42

Ties to other Networks

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

23/42

How are connections

facilitated?

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

24/42

In the beginning

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

25/42

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

26/42

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

27/42

Twitter Research Questions

What are the experiences ofparticipants in a twitter.com sub-network?

What is the nature of thecommunication and interaction?

What are users' perceptions about theinteraction and communication?

Why do users participate? How do users represent themselves?

What are the demographic

characteristics?

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

28/42

Networked Classroom

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

29/42

Interaction

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

30/42

The Networked Classroom

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

31/42

http://eci831.wikispaces.com

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

32/42

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

33/42

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

34/42

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

35/42

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

36/42

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

37/42

What We Observed

N P f T l

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

38/42

No Perfect Tool orTechnology

h // b d /i 692

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

39/42

http://open.byu.edu/ipt692r-wiley

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

40/42

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

41/42

Other examples?

8/14/2019 AECT 2009 Social Network 20091029 FINAL

42/42

Presentation and Paper at:

http://DesignedToInspire.com/drupal/aect2

http://designedtoinspire.com/drupal/aect2009http://designedtoinspire.com/drupal/aect2009