APPLIES TO ACADEMIC YEAR 2016/2017

DRE 1018 Organisational Network Analysis

Responsible for the course
Amir Sasson, Miha Skerlavaj

Department
Department of Leadership and Organizational Behaviour

Term
According to study plan

ECTS Credits
6

Language of instruction
English

Introduction
Please note that this course will be revised before it is offered again

Over the past decade or so, social network analysis and theories have become an important perspective to study al phenomena. Organisational network analysis (ONA) is a term coined to describe application of the relational perspective to observe, measure, visualize organisation, and manage organisations. In other words, it is a set of theories, methods and techniques that acknowledge the fact that people, teams, and organisations are interconnected and dependent on one another to achieve their respective goals. It also upgrades the classic multivariate analysis with the understanding that independence of observations is rarely a fact.

Organisational networks can be studied at multiple levels of research (intra-organisationally and inter-organisationally) and can be meaningfully applied to numerous organisational phenomena. The typology of ties studied in organisational network analysis would range from similarities (location, membership, attribute), over social relations (cognitive, affective, kinship), interactions (e.g. gets creative ideas from and gets support to implement innovations from), to the flows (e.g. information, learning). In its essence, it aims to understand structure of organisational networks, as well as their antecedents and consequences.

Understanding these seemingly invisible networks of relationships have become central to understand various organisational behavior phenomena, leadership, performance and strategy execution, learning, creativity, and innovation topics. Research shows that appropriate connectivity in networks within and between organisations can have a substantial impact on organisational outcomes. Hence, the purpose of the ONA course is to familiarize students with the set of competences a researcher needs for research on organisational networks.

Learning outcome
At the end of the course students will be in a better position to appreciate and understand:
- What is organisational network analysis?
- Why and when to use it?
What are the current network theories?
- What are the key concepts that constitute organisational network theories?
- What can we do with it to better understand organisations?
- The antecedents and consequences of the network phenomena
- The multiple level aspect of organisational network research: intra-organisational (interpersonal & inter-unit) & inter-organisational and their inter-relations.
- Which software tools can we use?
- Where to go from here / how is it relevant to my research?

Disclaimer: Please note that this is a content oriented workshop led by advanced users. While you can expect a plethora of practical hints and tips as well as demonstrations and tutorials, this is not a methodological course.

Prerequisites
Admission to a PhD program is a general requirement for participation in PhD courses at BI Norwegian Business School.

External candidates are kindly asked to attach confirmation of admission to a PhD program when signing up for a course with the doctoral administration. Students will not be permitted to “sit in” on this course. Active participation will be critical to the educational experience and all enrolled students must engage in the sequence of interactive classroom sessions (presentations, tutorials, round table, guest speakers) and at the end of course assignment.

Compulsory reading

Articles:
A collection of scientific articles. The detailed list will be available on it's learning

Recommended reading

Course outline
The course consists of five sessions each of 6 hours each. To a large extent, the value of this course will depend on the level and quality of student preparation and participation in classroom discussion. The tentative program is as follows:
Session 1: Introduction, key network concepts, organisational network theories

Session 2: organisational Network Methodology (Tutorial with NodeXL, basic organisational network analysis concepts)

Session 3: Inter-organisational Network Applications

Session 4: Intra-organisational Network Applications

Sessions 5 & 6: Tutorial with Pajek software (advanced exploratory network anaysis concepts)

Session 7: Tutorial with UCINET software (advanced confirmatorz network analysis concepts)

Session 8: Network dynamics

Session 9 & 10: Current and future trends in network research (guest lectures & round table)

Computer-based tools
Selected social network analysis software packages: Pajek, UCINET, and NodeXL.

Learning process and workload
For each session a limited number of assigned readings are indicated. Each participant is expected to read all the required reading prior to each session and to be able to comment upon them during the discussion. Additional articles may be added or substituted during the course.

Lectures and seminars 30 hours
Reading and seminar preparation 100 hours
Writing course paper 45 hours

Total 175 hours

Coursework requirements
Students are required to read upfront required readings and actively engage during the course. In-class activities such as tutorial with computer software, discussion and presentation of network scientific papers, poster sessions are part of the student evaluation. Course assignment requires students to apply either intra- or inter-organisational level network problem to a topic of their choice and interest.

Examination
Form of assessment and weighting
Student presentations and discussions (30%).
Paper (70%)

Students will write max 15 pages paper. The purpose of the paper is to develop a research idea based on the literature in the course and to explore the implications of this idea. Full guidance on the aims, objectives and grading criteria for the paper will be provided by the course lecturer in the first session of the course. The paper should be original work completed specifically for the course. The grade is given as pass or fail.
Examination code(s)
DRE 10181 continuous assessment accounts for 100 % of the final grade in the course DRE 1018.

Examination support materials
N/A

Re-sit examination
Re-takes are only possible at the next time a course will be held. When the course evaluation has a separate exam code for each part of the evaluation it is possible to retake parts of the evaluation. Otherwise, the whole course must be re-evaluated when a student wants to retake an exam.

Additional information
Honor Code
Academic honesty and trust are important to all of us as individuals, and represent values that are encouraged and promoted by the honor code system. This is a most significant university tradition. Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the ideals of the honor code system, which the faculty is also deeply committed. Any violation of the honor code will be dealt with in accordance with BI’s procedures for cheating. These issues are a serious matter to everyone associated with the program at BI and are at the heart of the honor code and academic integrity. If you have any questions about your responsibilities under the honor code, please ask.