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Bin Chen, Feng Wang and Jianmin Song words, when two MPA students are engaged in academic exchange, there is a 60% chance that they will become friends. Although statistically significant, the correlation coefficient between the socio-emotional support network and academic network is moderate (0.34). It may be because academic exchanges and socio-emotional support are distinctively different functions for most MPA students in this study. Increasing academic exchanges do not necessarily mean an increasing probability that a socio-emotional support relationship will develop. The flow of academic support and information can serve mostly academic purposes and lack exchanges on the more emotional level. Many may wonder why the friendship network is not highly correlated with socio-emotional support network (0.37). Though no theoretical literature on social network research can explicitly address this intriguing result, the finding is compatible with other empirical research. In studying an organizational emotional helping network, Toegel, Anand, and Kilduff (2007) found that the friendship network was positively related to the emotional helping network at a coefficient of 0.25. In a study of formal and informal intra-organizational networks (Chen & Krauskopf, 2010), the two networks correlated with each other at 0.35. Anecdotal evidence from MPA students in our study confirms that career advice and socio-emotional support are considered as more personal, private, and in-depth interactions. It is much easier for students to reach out to others for academic advice and friendship ties than for career advice and emotional comfort. CONCLUSION In this paper, we empirically explored the extent to which the academic, career advice, friendship, and socio-emotional support networks were developed among a cohort of third-year MPA students at a Chinese university. After examining the structural characteristics of the four networks, we found that MPA students at this study site have developed more extensive academic exchanges and friendship ties than career advice and socio-emotional ties. Students also strengthened their interactions by building multiple relationships across the different networks. As an exploratory study, this paper is more descriptive than hypothesis testing. We should be cautious about generalizing the findings from a single case to the general population of Chinese MPA students. Yet we affirmed the importance of informal networking activities among MPA students and called for attention to the extent and scope of such networks in meeting a variety of students’ needs, whether they are academic or social. In the future, researchers should investigate the relationship between an individual student’s personality and his or her network building activities, and the relationship between a student’s network position and his or her satisfaction with the program. It is also important to recognize the role of these networks in creating students’ perceived identity associated with the program and their cohorts. More important research questions worth probing are whether well-connected students perform better in 152 Journal of Public Affairs Education
Exploring Academic and Social Networks the MPA program. Are students with extensive social networks more successful in their future career path? If networking is an important part of students’ experience with MPA program, we need to further investigate the determinants of scope and scale of these networks. The answers to these questions hold practical relevance for MPA program administrators, instructors, and participants. All can benefit from recognizing and understanding why network development is one of important motivations for—and for some individuals a paramount aspect of—attending a MPA program. FOOTNOTES 1 This research is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Project Number 71003013. 2 Some network survey instruments were adapted from literature in English. Two authors did translations independently and then compared their versions. To ensure that it was culturally competent and linguistically appropriate for the targeted study subject, the Chinese version was then critically reviewed by other Chinese researchers and pretested by eight Chinese MPA students. 3 The persons from whom he or she seeks career-related information and advice may not be necessarily the same person with whom he or she shares the information. 4 Closeness centralization measure cannot be calculated for a network with unconnected actors. REFERENCES Baruch, Y., Bell, M., & Gray, D. (2005). Generalist and specialist graduate business degrees: Tangible and intangible value. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 67, 51–68. Boorman, S. A., & White, H. C. (1976). Social structure from multiple networks. II. Role structure. American Journal of Sociology, 81(6), 1384–1446. Borgatti, S. P., Everett, M. G., & Freeman, L. C. (2002). UCINET for Windows: Software for social network analysis. Harvard, MA: Analytic Technologies. Burt, R. S., & Ronchi, D. (2007). Teaching executives to see social capital: Results from a field experiment. Social Science Research, 36, 1156–1183. Chen, B., & Krauskopf, J. (2010). Integrated or disconnected? Examining formal and informal networks in a merged nonprofit organization. Working Paper Series. Center for Nonprofit Strategies and Management, Baruch College of the City University of New York. Coleman, J. (1988). Social capital in the creation of human capital. American Journal of Sociology, 94, 95–120. Granovetter, M. (1974). Getting a job: A study of contacts and careers. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Journal of Public Affairs Education 153
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JPAE VOLUME 18 NUMBER 1 JOURNAL OF
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Journal of Public Affairs Education
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FROM THE EDITOR In the symposium in
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NASPAA Presidential Address Annual
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Leading by Example: Modeling Global
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FROM THE GUEST EDITOR FROM THE GUES
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FROM THE GUEST EDITOR A SYMPOSIUM I
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on other fronts, certainly it can h
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Picasso, P. (1937). Guernica. Pictu
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Reflections of a Working-Class Acad
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Class Rooms Kenneth Oldfield Univer
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Moving Forward by Looking Back Gary
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