Power no longer resides exclusively (if at all) in states, institutions, or large corporations. It is located in the networks that structure society. Social network analysis seeks to understand networks and their participants and has two main focuses: the actors and the relationships between them in a specific social context.

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Development Bank, or its Board of Governors, or the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included
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A Guide to Social Network
Analysis
Olivier Serrat
2014

2. The Social Network Groundswell
The information revolution has given birth to new
economies structured around flows of data, information,
and knowledge. In parallel, social networks have grown
stronger as forms of human activity.
Information and communication technologies—especially
social media—explain much but not all. Other catalysts of
social networks include globalization; the emergence of the
third sector, viz., civil and nongovernment organizations;
recognition of the importance of social capital; and interest
in knowledge management and organizational learning.

3. The Social Network Groundswell
Social networks are nodes of individuals,
groups, organizations, and related systems that
tie in interdependencies, viz., shared values,
visions, and ideas; social contacts; kinship;
financial exchanges; trade; membership in
organizations; participation in events, etc.
Communities of practice are a recurrent form.
Others are policy and advocacy networks;
public-private policy networks; knowledge
networks; etc. Functions differ too, with nodes
behaving as filters, amplifiers, investors and
providers, convenors, community builders,
and/or facilitators.

4. The Social Network Groundswell
When they succeed, social networks influence larger social
processes by accessing diverse forms of capital as well as the
information and knowledge content of these.
Networked organizations enjoy unifying purposes and clear
coordination structures; consensus (born of shared interests);
strength in numbers; representativeness; multiple, interactive
communications (spanning horizontal and vertical dimensions);
and dynamism and creativity (from rich communications).

5. Define:Social Network Analysis
Social network analysis focuses on the
structure of relationships among a set of
actors.
Social network analysis maps and measures
formal and informal relationships to identify
what facilitates or impedes the information
and knowledge flows that bind interacting
units, viz., who knows whom and who shares
what information and knowledge with
whom through what media.

6. Applications of Social Network
Analysis
The results of social network analysis can be used to:
• Identify individuals, teams, and units who play central roles.
• Discern information breakdowns, bottlenecks, structural holes, as
well as isolated individuals, teams, and units.
• Make out opportunities to accelerate knowledge flows across
functional and organizational boundaries.
• Strengthen the efficiency and effectiveness of existing, formal
communication channels.
• Raise awareness of and reflection on the importance of informal
networks and ways to enhance their organizational performance.
• Leverage peer support.
• Improve innovation and learning.
• Refine strategies.

7. The Process of Social Network
Analysis
Typically, social network
analysis relies on
questionnaires and
interviews to gather
information about the
relationships within a
defined set of actors. The
responses gathered are then
mapped.
The data gathering and
analysis process provides
baseline information against
which one can then prioritize
and plan interventions to
improve knowledge flows,
which may entail recasting
social connections.

8. The Process of Social Network
Analysis
1. Social
network
analysis
typically
requires
investigators
to:
Identify the network of individuals, teams, and units
to be analyzed.
Gather background information, for example by
interviewing senior managers and key staff to
understand specific needs and issues.
Define the objective and clarify the scope of the
analysis, and agree on the reporting required.
Formulate hypotheses and questions.
Develop the survey methodology.

9. The Process of Social Network
Analysis
2. Social
network
analysis
typically
requires
investigators
to:
Design the questionnaire. (Both open-ended and
closed questions can be used.)
Survey the individuals, teams, and units in the
network to identify the relationships and knowledge
flows between them.
Use a social network analysis tool to visually map out
the network.
Review the map and the problems and opportunities
highlighted using interviews and/or workshops.
Formulate and implement actions to bring about
desired changes.
Map the network again after a suitable period of
time.

10. The Future of Social Network
Analysis
Social network analysis is somewhat akin to an "organizational
x-ray." Early uses were in investigations of leadership networks
to sustain and strengthen their relationships within and across
groups, organizations, and related systems. (Applications have
also been found in areas as diverse as psychology and health.)

11. The Future of Social Network
Analysis
With the rise of Facebook, Google
+, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc., interest
has grown in social network
analysis of electronic
communications. Most likely,
social network analysis is set to
emerge as a key technique in
modern sociology.

12. • ADB. 2008. Building Communities of Practice. Manila.
www.adb.org/publications/building-communities-practice
• ——. 2009. Social Network Analysis. Manila.
www.adb.org/publications/social-network-analysis
• ——. 2009. Building Networks of Practice. Manila.
www.adb.org/publications/building-networks-practice
• ——. 2010. Social Media and the Public Sector. Manila.
www.adb.org/publications/social-media-and-public-sector
• ——. 2010. Informal Authority in the Workplace. Manila.
www.adb.org/publications/informal-authority-workplace
• ——. 2013. On Networked Organizations. Manila.
digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/intl/268/
Further Reading

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