Social Network Analysis
Why Use Social Network Analysis as an Intervention?
Why is Social Network Analysis (SNA) such an interesting and valuable tool?… and, such a compelling intervention? It focuses on the level of collaboration, and highlights the gaps in organizational relationships.
Relationships between and among members and departments in an organization are as important as the work that members individually contribute. The SNA process rapidly identifies the quality of these relationships. Are the people who should be connected, connecting? Are some too busy, or not delegating, and operate as bottlenecks? Are some subject matter experts isolated and not being used?
Social Network Analysis, a useful tool in academic research since 1973, is now being used as an intervention tool in organizations. Employees, in a simple internet survey, respond to 2-4 brief questions chosen by the organization. A sample question could be “Who do you go to when you need assistance in getting your work done?”
SNA software allows us to ‘see’ in visual maps the informal knowledge or problem solving networks and the level of collaboration (or not) within an organization. The most effective intervention emerges from the consultant/client conversations about the meaning of the maps.
Here are a few brief case studies of some useful interventions.
- Mirror/reflect organizational dynamics
The CEO of a software company was concerned that his consistent encouragement to managers to collaborate did not work. The SNA maps, which everyone saw, identified a split in the organization between IT and all operational departments. Once presented, the employees made suggestions, many of which were implemented. For example, to give them an experience of working together, Inside Sales and IT identified a project to co-develop 24-hour support for global employees. Information flowed easily; the project was implemented; and they continued to follow up with each other. In addition, this project helped remote members feel a valued part of the company.
- Identify influential people in the network
An SNA of a department undergoing a culture change in Britain’s extensive National Healthcare system mapped 86 supervisory doctors and nurses. The maps identified those members who had more influence in helping others overcome the resistance to change. How close and intimate other staff were to these members was far more important in influencing their agreement to the desired change than the change agent or the change message.
- Identify highly peripheral people who are underutilized
In a global manufacturing company, a network analysis identified several expert peripheral people who were frustrated because they were seldom sought out. Central people were educated on the expertise of these peripheral people so they knew when and how to draw them into projects.
- Identify gaps in connection/collaboration
An analysis of a merger of a much larger company and a smaller company showed that six months later information was flowing freely, but most problem solving interactions still took place within the former boundaries of each company. Management held presentations in which both sets of members explained what unique skills & knowledge he/she could bring, and gave them practice in how their expertise could be jointly applied.
- Disperse the work of central people to others
A software company CEO stated the work was going too slowly. The SNA maps identified the CTO as a bottleneck. The CTO was stunned when he saw the maps; he immediately analyzed why this was happening, changed his own reinforcing behavior, and ‘unclogged the system’ by shifting parts of his job to others in the network.
Sharon Mulgrew, Nan Cowardin-Lee, Nermin Soyalp
To learn more about SNA, the concepts and process, and how to analyze the maps, and to see our Ppt presentation contact sharon@sharonmulgrew.com.
