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Social Network Theory
The basic notion of social network theory is that people tend to think and behave similarly because they are connected. The theory examines the set of ties or linkages among a defined set of actors (individuals, groups, or organizations), with the view that the system of linkages as a whole can be used to interpret the social behavior of the actors involved (Mitchell, 1969; Tichy, Tushman, & Fombrun, 1979). The network linkages can both connect and divide the actors. The theory enables analysis of a range of organizational phenomena at both the micro level (leadership, teams, power, trust, turnover, and so on) and the macro level (interfirm relations, alliances, network governance, and so on).
Many of the concepts in ...
