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Networking Scholars in a Networked Organization

Barry Wellman

Dimitrina Dimitrova

Zack Hayat

Guang Ying Mo

Lilia Smale

Contemporary Perspectives on Organizational Social Networks

ISBN: 978-1-78350-751-1, eISBN: 978-1-78350-752-8

Publication date: 14 July 2014

Abstract

Long-standing traditions of long-distance collaboration and networking make scholars a good test case for differentiating hype and reality in distributed, networked organizations. Our study of Canadian scholars in the GRAND research networks finds that they function more as connected individuals and less as members of a single bounded work group, often meeting their needs by tapping into diversified, loosely knit networks. Their internet use interpenetrates with in-person contact: the more they use one, the more they use the other. Despite digital networking, local proximity is important for collaboration and seniority for inter-team and interdisciplinary boundary spanning.

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Acknowledgements

Acknowledgments

We thank Christian Beermann, Isabella Chiu, Lilia Smale, and Xiaolin Zhuo for their advice and assistance. Our research has been supported (at arms-length) by the GRAND network and the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

Citation

Wellman, B., Dimitrova, D., Hayat, Z., Mo, G.Y. and Smale, L. (2014), "Networking Scholars in a Networked Organization", Contemporary Perspectives on Organizational Social Networks (Research in the Sociology of Organizations, Vol. 40), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 479-497. https://doi.org/10.1108/S0733-558X(2014)0000040024

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited