Social Networks as a Conceptual and Empirical Tool

8/14/2019 Social Networks as a Conceptual and Empirical Tool

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Social Networks as aConceptual and Empirical

Tool to Understand and DoHRD

MissAngela

Mr.

BraidMr.

Allen

Mr.Peter


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Contents Introduction

Clarifying concept definitions Integrating the social network/social capital and

HRD literatures Understanding how HRD adds value from a social

capital perspective A social network perspective on the practice of

HRD HRD at the individual level

HRD at the team HRD at the organization

Connecting social network research with HRDpractice

Implications


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Introductions From this title, we know that this article will tell us the

roles of the social network which can help us to

understand and Do the HRD.

Management and HR experts recognize the importanceof the relational to effective practice and scholarly

inquiry

Graen , Bien and Scandura(2000)argued that effectiveorganizational functioning required employees to be inthe right place, doing the right things, at the righttime.

Hall(2003)added that it is also about having the rightpeople having the right relationships, doing the right

things at the right time.


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Introduction The HRD field also recognizes the importance of

relationships for HRD practitioners in performing theirrole and for successful change interventions.

Harrison and Kessels(2004)argued that the emerging

challenges facing in HRD include developing humancapital of organizations and the social capital

This article will answer two questions:

a: how can a network perspective explain or help usunderstand more about the process of achieving theoutcome of HRD? B:given the network perspective,how should we practice HRD?


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HRD, Social network, Social capital

HRD: is responsible for learning and performancethat is strategic and operational, and that crossesthe multiple levels of organizations includingindividual, team (group/process),organizational( Yorks, 2005).

Social network was definited as consisting of linesand nodes( actors, groups, etc.)that can bedescribed in mathematical terms(Scott, 2001)

Social capital is a way to describe the value thatcan accrue through the network.


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n egra ng e soc anetwork/social capital and HRD

literatures A network perspective provides a framework and methods for

understanding the multilevel phenomena relevant to HRDresearch and practice.

A social network perspective permits conceptualizing the whole

rather the part. It is also provides analytical tools and theoreticalassumptions function in typical quantitative or qualitativeresearch methods.

Yorks(2005) pointed that a social network perspective offers one

way to meet the diverse responsibilities.

Using the social network perspective changes the research andpractice of HRD because change is explained in terms of thesocial relations between people.


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Integrating the social network/socialcapital and HRD literatures

An alternative perspective suggests that team performanceis a function of the relationships not of the characteristics.

Empirical network research relies on measures that identifyspecific relationships that can contribute toward desired

outcome.

A social network perspective on HRD gives HRD scholarsand practitioners new way to frame issues, pose questions,conduct research and design interventions.

Clearly, integrating the social network and HRD literaturesenable HRD scholars and practitioners to designinterventions that are effective, targeted and beneficial.


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HRD adds value form a socialcapital perspective

Typical measures of how ass value from aneconomic perspective can include system, financial,learning, and perceptual outcomes

The mechanisms that generate these value-addedoutcomes are diverse and grounded in the theorybase of HRD. For performantive HRD the theorybase is likely to include system theory,psychological theory, and economic theory.

Th h i b d f


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Three theories borrowed fromsociology

First, Burt's theory of structural holes combines withGranovetters theory of weak ties.

HRD interventions can add value because theychanged the social relationships that bridge differentpeople or group to another.

Second, Colemans and Putnams closure theories.HRD interventions can add value because they

changed the social relationships that bond peopletogether in groups.

Third, Lins theory of social structure and action

HRD interventions can add value because more ordifferent resources are exchanged


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HRD adds value form a socialcapital perspective

HRD interventions add value becausethey either leverage social capitaland/or change social network to align

them with organizational goals. Thealignment of network withorganizational goals is the key to

organizational success.


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A social network perspective onthe practice of HRD

The social network perspective suggestthat HRD should focus on developing

appropriate network structures and/orappropriate opportunities and conditionsfor action.

On the other hand, a large structure ofbridging, while less costly in terms of timesand effort, are not as useful for mobilizingcomplex types of information


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A social network perspective onthe practice of HRD

How should we practice HRD at theindividual, team/group, andorganizational levels?


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How to practice HRD at those

three level The individual level

The team/group level

The organization level


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HRD at the individual level

Individual level HRD is usually focusedon developing human capital throughtraining and development.

HRD at the individual level researchsuggests that diverse networks are

associated with early promotion,career mobility, and managerialeffectiveness.


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Individual work performance isfound to vary:

1. by interaction patterns

2. by network centrality

3. by ties that cross organizational,departmental, and physicalboundaries

4. by number of ties in the network


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Learning at theindividual level

Social learning theory proposes thatindividual learning occurs throughprocesses of social interaction andparticipation with others.


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HRD at the Team/GroupLevel

At the team or functionallevel of analysis, a social

network perspective alsoprovides some insight on thepractice of HRD.


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HRD at the OrganizationLevel

At the organizational level,organizational social networks can

contribute toward a learningculture and help an organizationscapacity to respond to

environmental changes.


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Connecting Social NetworkResearch with HRD Practice

The importance of Social network analysis

reveal patterns of connectivity reveal the success or failure elements of a social

network

Make the social network maps

Location actors and analyzing their relationships

The identification of these actors can helpdetermine appropriate ways

Identification of key players in social networks


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Connecting Social Network Researchwith HRD Practice

The advantage to HRD practitioner

By understanding the network structure, the HRD practitionerwill be able to identify the opportunities for or constraint onindividual performance and learning.

By identifying the facilitators and inhibitors to knowledgesharing, learning, and performance improvement, the HRDpractitioner can devise ways to manage the individuals orchange the organization, functions, or processes to facilitateindividual, team/process, and organizational success.


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What we learn from this article At the begin of this article, it tells us this article will answer two

question a: how can a network perspective explain or help usunderstand more about the process of achieving the outcome of HRD?B:given the network perspective, how should we practice HRD?

After we learn this article, we know that the social network plays animportant role in HRD and it can help us to understand and Do HRDpractice. This article tell us clarifying concepts definitions of HRD, socialnetwork and social capital; and a network perspective provides aframework and methods for understanding the multilevel phenomenarelevant to HRD research and practice, for example, team performanceis a target of HRD research focus and HRD practitioners should helpthe manager or create teams, and tools often used in this type ofintervention focus on the characteristics of the team members. Thesetools generated from HRD research that examined how individual

characteristics impacted group performance.

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Social Networks as a Conceptual and Empirical Tool