Organizational Development for Knowledge Management at Water ...

Social Network Analysis
A process for mapping the relationships among people, teams, or across organizations.
Supports: Knowledge sharing, organizational learning, improved communications,
information flows
Many companies and organizations invest a considerable amount of money in restructuring
organizational charts and reengineering business processes only to be disappointed with the
results. This is because much of the work happens outside the formal organizational structure.
Often what needs attention is the informal organization, the networks of relationships that
employees from across functions and divisions to quickly accomplish tasks. These informal
relationships can cut through formal reporting procedures to jump-start stalled initiatives and
meet extraordinary deadlines. However, informal networks can just as easily sabotage the best
laid plans of companies by blocking communication and fomenting opposition to change unless
leaders know how to identify and direct them. Learning how to map these social links can help
you harness the real power of your organization.
Using social network analysis, it is possible to translate a myriad of relationships and ties into
maps that show how the informal organization gets things done. In the simplest form, these
maps consist of a series of named dots (or "nodes"), each of which represents a person, and
lines or arrows connecting the dots to represent the existence of relationship between people.
For example, the two individuals who have the largest number of connecting lines (the two dots
with six lines each connecting to them) communicate more with their coworkers than the
individuals (represented by the outlying dots) who have only one connecting line.
Some useful networks to understand within your organization might be:
1. The advice network, which shows the prominent players in an organization on whom
others rely to help them solve problems and provide technical information
2. The trust network, which shows which employees share delicate political information
3. The communication network, which reveals the employees who talk about work-related
matters on a regular basis
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