Proceedings of the 12th European Conference on Knowledge ...

Eva Eckenh<strong>of</strong>er
Figure 3: Enhancement <strong>of</strong> Strategic Networking. Source: Author’s own.
In <strong>the</strong> centre <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Strategic Networking-Model is <strong>the</strong> aim or target <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> network, surrounded by
Sydows and Windelers model <strong>of</strong> network management. Selection, allocation, regulation and
evaluation are seen as <strong>the</strong> management <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> network development and <strong>the</strong>refore an ongoing
process in a social network. Ano<strong>the</strong>r central tool is network analysis, which should be done regularly
in order to give an overview <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> network, <strong>the</strong> roles and positions <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> network members and to
indentify needs for network development. The most important tasks for managing <strong>the</strong> work within <strong>the</strong>
network are network governance, coordination <strong>of</strong> exchange, alignment <strong>of</strong> strategy, organisation and
technology, facilitating shared visions and values as well as fostering <strong>of</strong> social integration. These
tasks are circular, unsystematic and with reciprocal influence and are <strong>the</strong>refore located in <strong>the</strong> inner
circle <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> model. The network development processes, namely, selection, allocation, regulation and
evaluation are also not a singular process but circular as long as <strong>the</strong> target <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> network is valid for
all network members. As <strong>the</strong> expert interviews showed, an accurate model <strong>of</strong> network development is
not necessary, <strong>the</strong>se four steps describing <strong>the</strong> process <strong>of</strong> network development, build a loose
guideline, but do not prescribe every single step in <strong>the</strong> network development process. As <strong>the</strong> network
development provides <strong>the</strong> basic structures <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> network, while <strong>the</strong> network management tasks
influence <strong>the</strong> processes in <strong>the</strong> networks, <strong>the</strong>y build <strong>the</strong> outside circle <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> model, which symbolizes
<strong>the</strong> framework <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> network.
6. Conclusion
From <strong>the</strong> introduction about holistic management and <strong>the</strong> definition <strong>of</strong> Intellectual Capital and social
networks, common models and guidelines for <strong>the</strong> management <strong>of</strong> social networks were introduced.
The results <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> expert survey with nine Austrian managers were presented in order to compare with
<strong>the</strong> findings from literature research. The result <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> comparison is <strong>the</strong> creation <strong>of</strong> a practical model
that can be used for <strong>the</strong> development and fostering <strong>of</strong> Intellectual Capital in a firm.
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