Dr Daniela Lup NAB3.28

This course is available on the MSc in Economy, Risk and Society , MSc in International Employment Relations and Human Resource Management, MSc in Management, MSc in Management, Organisations and Governance, MSc in Organisational Behaviour and MSc in Public Management and Governance. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

The main objective of this course is to introduce students to current research in the area of social network analysis and improve their understanding of how an effective network structure looks like. The course focuses on both theoretical and substantive themes within social network analysis. Substantive topics focus on everyday managerial situations and consulting projects such as: managing information and knowledge; managing one's career; managing a team; selecting a business partner; using virtual networks; social media.

In addition, the course aims to familiarize students with methodological issues connected with social network analysis (SNA). To this end, the students will learn to work with UCINET, a software designed for SNA. During the classes, the students will solve concrete managerial and consulting problems using SNA. Examples include (but are not limited to): understanding the social network of a manager, proposing a strategy for implementing organizational change; understanding the power and fallacies of online networks; visualizing power networks in specific industries; marketing applications.

List of topics:

1. SNA: Basic Concepts and Trends

2. Principles of Social Networks

3. Brokerage Networks and Network Roles

4. Solving network problems in Organizations

5. Social Networks and Labor Markets: job search, careers and HR issues

6. Inter-organizational networks

7. Status and Reputation in Networks: Consequences for Individuals and Organizations

8. Entrepreneurship and Market Entry

9. Diffusion of (new) ideas in Markets

10. Summary and group project presentation

15 hours of lectures and 15 hours of seminars in the LT.

Students will write a 500 word comment to a case, problem or article. Written feedback will be provided.

Burt R. (2005). Brokerage and Closure: An Introduction to Social Capital. OUP

Gladwell, Malcom (2000) The tipping point: How little things can make a big difference. Little, Brown and Company

Kilduff, M. and W. Tsai (2003). Social Networks and Organizations. SAGE Publications.

Podolny, J. M. (2005) Social Signals. A sociological study of market competition. Princeton University Press

Wasserman, S. and K. Faust (1994). Social Network Analysis. Cambridge Univ. Press

Project (35%, 3500 words), class participation (15%) and take home exam (50%) in the LT.