network analysis
THE RESEARCH
This paper draws on a five-year program of research we conducted to understand the
impacts of technology-mediated networks enabled by social platforms on employee
innovation. We studied both internally focused platforms that contain rich social features such as employee profiles and social navigation and external platforms including
Twitter. Networks among employees were created based on different levels of engagement, such as following someone on Twitter or replying to someone’s tweet.
We used two main research methodologies: Organizational network analysis
(ONA) and interviews. ONA is a set of techniques for studying the connections and
resource flows between people, teams and organizations. Using ONA, social relationships are viewed as nodes and links that can be described visually and mathematically.
Using these methods, researchers and executives can gain new insights into existing
network structures and communication patterns.
