What is a network?. A network is a bounch of Actors connected by Ties, actors are also called Nodes, which are two tipes, Individuals or Teams (Organizations). Ties are also called Links, you can have several links: Knowledge, Trust, Team, Dislike, or Alliance, Customer and Investment.
Trust and Reciprocity are essential for knowledge echange in networks. Dual Loyalties Networks are Organization and Professional, this and others add up to Network Outcomes which can be Individual Levels (Improve Efectivenes, Improve Job Opportunities, Higher Salaries, Faster Promotions, Increased Influence and Power, Improved Health) or can be Organizational Level (Organizational Learning, Improved Inovation, Increased Sales, Decreased Employee Turover).
We can manage networks in an organization by Uncovering Networks, Analyze Networks, Improve Networks.
When an organization hires someone, acctualy they are hirering a network, the network which comes with the new hiree. A company or Organization must encourage an open inovation attitude.
So what all this means for us?, an Actor's position in a social network, or social capital, determins in part the actor's opportunities and constraints.
What can you do?, where do you sit?, whith whom do you eat lunch?, whith whom do you socialize?, to which communities or networks do you belong?. Think Strategically, how are decisions made in an (your) organization?, what information flows would you like to be in?, what resources do we need in the future?.
Develop participation in a variety of networks: Outide Organization, Inside Organization, Strong Ties, Weak Ties.
Start your own network: people find similar people attractive and develop relations with people like themself, this will create a homogeneous network and not a heterogeneous network, actualy should be done opposit. You should network with opposit people, just like the saing goes, "oposit atracts".
The positive spiral of social networks: Value, Contribution, Reciprocity, Accumulation and back to Value, and the rest is history.
