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1 – 10 of 194
Book part
Publication date: 11 August 2014

Jeffrey Coons and Shing-Ling S. Chen

Social media such as Facebook thrive with the arrival of Web 2.0. This chapter merges traditional social network analysis (SNA) with symbolic interactionism (SI) to create a…

Abstract

Social media such as Facebook thrive with the arrival of Web 2.0. This chapter merges traditional social network analysis (SNA) with symbolic interactionism (SI) to create a hybrid method of SNA to allow researchers to study the sociability found in Facebook. The discussion begins with identifying a common ground of SNA and SI, found in Georg Simmel’s work, and then develops methodological procedures to locate cliques in Facebook networks. A visualization technique is also suggested to further single out the social forms found in Facebook.

Details

Symbolic Interaction and New Social Media
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78350-933-1

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 19 April 2023

Peter Wardrip and Louis Gomez

The study seeks to understand what teachers know about students’ friend networks and how they use that information for instruction.

Abstract

Purpose

The study seeks to understand what teachers know about students’ friend networks and how they use that information for instruction.

Design/methodology/approach

This qualitative study relied on interviews and sociograms that teachers drew of students’ friend networks.

Findings

Our data suggest that teachers’ awareness of their students’ friend networks varies by their experience and their exposure to students. Also, their use of this information for instruction coalesces around dimensions of grouping and social support.

Research limitations/implications

This study took place at one school. To more deeply understand what teachers perceive about their students’ friend networks and how they use that information for instruction, more studies could be done with teachers in more schools.

Practical implications

Implications might suggest developing teachers’ social competence to support their students’ learning and development.

Originality/value

While studies cited in this paper have explored teachers’ knowledge of students’ social networks, this study builds on this work by exploring how that information can be useful for instruction. In addition, this study explores the use of teachers drawing sociograms as representations of what they know about students’ friend networks.

Details

Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning, vol. 17 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2397-7604

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 6 May 2008

Katherine A. Spielmann

The archaeological record of small-scale societies is replete with examples of people expending considerable labor to craft both places and objects for communal rituals…

Abstract

The archaeological record of small-scale societies is replete with examples of people expending considerable labor to craft both places and objects for communal rituals. Archaeologists often infer these efforts to have been the product of aspiring elites. This chapter focuses instead on the larger community responsible for the construction of places and objects, through a ritual economy analysis of the social logic people use to organize the production of ritual places and paraphernalia. A review of ethnographic and archaeological data suggests that the production of communal ritual places often involves the creation of sociograms, while the production of objects for use within these places encompasses a web of complementary and competitive relations. Two examples of large-scale communal ritual spaces, the early British Neolithic causewayed enclosures and the Ohio Hopewell geometric earthworks, are explored in light of these ethnographic and archaeological patterns.

Details

Dimensions of Ritual Economy
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-84950-546-8

Article
Publication date: 22 March 2011

Cheryl Ann Cheryl Ann (formerly Lapp) and Adrian N. Carr

In this paper, the authors act as leadership development coaches who show that how a story is constructed, reconstructed and circulated in and through organizations make stories…

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Abstract

Purpose

In this paper, the authors act as leadership development coaches who show that how a story is constructed, reconstructed and circulated in and through organizations make stories themselves active “players” in creating relationships. In turn, these relationships create leadership development opportunities. The authors also explain why some people need to listen to the whole story before they can draw conclusions about its parts, about why some people do not care about others', stories and about why some storytellers do not care about the characters in the story. The combination of these characteristics gives a more detailed view of storyselling that, necessarily, works with storytelling as tools used in coaching for leadership development. The purpose of the paper is to describe further the origins of storytelling and storyselling and their relationship to leadership development coaching, and to demonstrate how the movement of a story told and sold create leadership development opportunities.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is informed by a psychodynamic understanding of organizations and examines a case study to illustrate the theoretical views that are advanced.

Findings

The employment of sociograms is found to be a useful way to chart and understand the relational dynamics of stories as quasi‐objects and their fragile and ephemeral nature. The authors find that stories can be usefully considered as both quasi and transitional objects.

Research limitations/implications

Psychodynamic theory informs the process of storytelling and storyselling. The implied art of storytelling and storyselling derived from research analysis are the catalysts for understanding why and how researchers put forward their findings and conclusions in scientific study.

Practical implications

The pracademic approach evident in this paper makes theory more accessible and useable in the field of practice. One branch of psychodynamics informs storytelling theory as it applies to the practice of coaching for leadership development.

Originality/value

The paper's originality lies in the development of potential time and the application of this concept in the creation of leadership development opportunities and leadership development coaching.

Details

Journal of Management Development, vol. 30 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0262-1711

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 April 2022

Elizabeth McGhee Hassrick, Guy Weissinger, Catherine VanFossen, Rose Milani, Jonas Ventimiglia, Isaiah Delane-Vir Hoffman, Matthew Wintersteen, Tita Atte, Sherira Fernandes and Guy Diamond

Autistic youth face higher risks for experiencing mental health crises. To develop and test a county-level social network measure of care coordination between police departments…

Abstract

Purpose

Autistic youth face higher risks for experiencing mental health crises. To develop and test a county-level social network measure of care coordination between police departments and other systems that support autistic youth experiencing suicidal crisis.

Design/methodology/approach

To measure the structure of care coordination for autistic youth experiencing suicidal crisis, the authors created a roster of all police departments and youth servicing organizations in two East Coast counties in the United States. They met or exceeded the whole network recruitment threshold of 70% completion in both counties. From the data, the authors created a directed matrix for each county of all reported connections, which they used to create sociograms and calculate standard network measures, including indegree, outdegree and total degree for each organization in the network. Data management and processing were done using R-programming and ORA.

Findings

Social network findings indicated that about half of all police departments surveyed coordinate care for autistic youth in suicidal crisis. Coordination varied by county, with nonpolice organizations acting as connectors between police and other nonpolice organizations. Two structural configurations were found, including a nonpolice organizational hub structure and a lead police structure. More research is needed to determine how different police integration structures shape care coordination for autistic youth.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations include the small number of counties included in the study. A larger sample of counties is required for generalizable results.

Practical implications

This article introduces new tools and approaches to assist police in building their capacity to measure and improve their coordination of care with other community systems during crisis situations for youth on the autism spectrum. Network science (e.g. matrix and graph theoretic algebra methods) can be used to measure the configuration of relationships police departments have with complex multi-level healthcare systems.

Social implications

Implications for findings include the consideration of police integration across systems in ways that produce new collaboration possibilities to support autistic youth experiencing suicidal crisis.

Originality/value

While police departments play a critical role in coordinating care for youth in suicidal crisis, little is known if or how police departments collaborate with other systems to provide assistance for autistic youth during a suicidal crisis. Improving care continuity within and between systems could potentially address clinical and structural challenges and reduce risk for autistic youth experiencing a suicidal crisis.

Details

Policing: An International Journal, vol. 45 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1363-951X

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 17 September 2014

Audrey Laplante

The study examines how late adolescents use the resources embedded in their social network to obtain the information and support they need to do their homework. A particular…

Abstract

Purpose

The study examines how late adolescents use the resources embedded in their social network to obtain the information and support they need to do their homework. A particular attention is paid to how social network sites (SNSs) are used and perceived by late adolescents for academic help seeking.

Design/methodology/approach

This qualitative study uses in-depth interviewing and critical incident technique. An egocentric approach to Social Network Analysis is also employed to examine the core social network of each participant.

Findings

Most adolescents had a solid personal social network but did not always fully take advantage of the resources embedded in it for schoolwork. Availability was the most important criteria for deciding who to approach. SNSs were often used to obtain the help they needed, although phone calls and in-person visits were considered more efficient in certain situations.

Research limitations/implications

This study draws on a small purposive sample that may limit generalization. This research contributes to our understanding of the resources late adolescents have access to within their core social network, the way they take advantage (or not) of these resources for schoolwork, and the role SNSs play in the process. Findings have implications for services that educators and school librarians should provide to support the educational needs of late adolescents.

Originality/value

This study contributes more generally to our understanding of late adolescents’ use of people as primary sources of information to complete school-related homework.

Details

New Directions in Children’s and Adolescents’ Information Behavior Research
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78350-814-3

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 6 June 2016

Anne M. Sanquini, Sundar M. Thapaliya and Michele M. Wood

The purpose of this paper is to apply social theory to the creation of a mass-media communications intervention designed to encourage earthquake-resistant construction in Nepal…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to apply social theory to the creation of a mass-media communications intervention designed to encourage earthquake-resistant construction in Nepal.

Design/methodology/approach

A three-step process was employed in this study: first, a narrative literature review was completed regarding the motivation of protective action. Second, key informant elicitation interviews with 15 community members at five public schools who supported making their buildings earthquake-resistant informed the script for a documentary film. Finally, the film was reviewed with stakeholders, plus 16 community members associated with a school in need of seismic work. Sociograms were used to determine relative closeness of the study participants to the film role models.

Findings

Motivating factors identified in the literature synthesis were included in the film, which focussed on effective actions taken by role models, and avoided the use of fear-based appeals. Key informant interviews yielded role-modeling details for the film script, including triggers and obstacles faced by the community members, and outcomes of their actions. Sociogram outcomes guided film editing and increased relative screen time for those community members with whom the study participants felt greater closeness. A pretest-posttest cluster randomized trial (details reported elsewhere) showed greater gains in knowledge, perceived outcome effectiveness, and intended behaviors among intervention film viewers than control participants.

Originality/value

This three-step process yielded the information required by a practitioner to develop a theory-based, culturally appropriate mass-media intervention designed to motivate reduction of disaster risk.

Details

Disaster Prevention and Management, vol. 25 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0965-3562

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 June 2011

Sean P. Goggins, James Laffey and Michael Gallagher

This paper has two purposes. First, to provide insight into the formation of completely online small groups, paying special attention to how their work practices develop, and how…

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper has two purposes. First, to provide insight into the formation of completely online small groups, paying special attention to how their work practices develop, and how they form identity. Second, to pursue conceptual development of a more multi‐level view of completely online group experience, which can be made visible through analysis of the unique interaction logging system used in this study.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conduct a mixed methods study that integrates interviews, grounded theory analysis, case study methods and social network analysis to build a multi‐layered view of completely online group and community development.

Findings

Completely online group formation is explicated as a socio‐technical system. The paper identifies themes of tool uptake and use, and patterns of interaction that accompany group formation and development of completely online group practices. These patterns show little respect for the boundaries of space and time. It then shows how groups who are paired together for two non‐sequential activities develop a common internal structural arrangement in the second activity, and are viewable as groups in the larger course context in four of six cases.

Research limitations/implications

The time bounded nature of the group and community, combined with the educational context limit the generalizability of these findings.

Practical implications

The study shows how completely online group development can be made visible. Managers of work teams and teachers who work with classrooms in completely online contexts need to recognize the dynamic structure and interaction practices of completely online teams.

Originality/value

First, little research has been conducted on completely online group formation. Second, a conceptual understanding of how group members relate to one another and how groups interact with other groups in the same socio‐technical context is not explored in prior work. Third, the paper performs this analysis including data from rich, contextualized usage logs, which enables greater insight into online group interactivity than prior research.

Details

Information Technology & People, vol. 24 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-3845

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 April 2007

A.G. Sheard and A.P. Kakabadse

The research described in this article seeks to address the question of the extent to which a role‐based perspective can provide insight into the distributed and networked form of…

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Abstract

Purpose

The research described in this article seeks to address the question of the extent to which a role‐based perspective can provide insight into the distributed and networked form of leadership.

Design/methodology/approach

A model provides insight into the distributed and networked form of leadership, and the roles that executives can adopt in formal, informal or temporary groups within the organisation's overall senior management team. The methodology adopted is qualitative, focusing on inquiry‐based learning which enabled the authors to gather data on those aspects of the social structure within which they were embedded that related specifically to the leadership roles available to executives and the networks they formed.

Findings

Generically applicable links between leadership roles are identified that provides structure to the task accomplishment networks within groups executives form when discharging their leadership responsibilities. Characterising leadership in terms of role, and the task networks that executives form, is found to facilitate improvement in the speed with which groups gain productive contributions from their members.

Research limitations/implications

A case study of three demographically similar multinational engineering companies engaged in the design, development and manufacture of rotating turbo‐machinery provides the platform for the research. The concepts advanced will require validating in other organisations of different demographic profiles.

Practical implications

The concepts advanced, and implications discussed, provide an insight into the distributed and networked form of leadership. The practical steps individual executives can take to contribute to the speed with which groups gain productive contributions from their members are highlighted.

Originality/value

This article attempts to assist executives within a senior management team to better adapt and coordinate their behaviour with other executives. In so doing, it is suggested that executives contribute more positively to the development of groups and the speed with which the groups of which they are a part gain productive contributions from their members.

Details

Journal of Management Development, vol. 26 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0262-1711

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 August 2023

Tsahi Hayat, Tal Samuel-Azran, Shira Goldberg and Yair Amichai-Hamburger

The 2020 Coronavirus pandemic forced universities to hastily transition to eLearning on a mass scale, necessitating the identification of populations who are more challenged by…

Abstract

Purpose

The 2020 Coronavirus pandemic forced universities to hastily transition to eLearning on a mass scale, necessitating the identification of populations who are more challenged by the transition. This study aims to identify how students’ level of introversion/extraversion and digital literacy come to play in their satisfaction with the eLearning environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis examined 272 Israeli students who moved from a face-to-face learning environment to a Zoom learning environment between March–July 2020, following the outbreak of the pandemic. All the participants completed two rounds of surveys, and 62 of the 272 participants were then interviewed, and their social network was mapped using a sociogram.

Findings

Findings indicated that, in accordance with the “poor get richer” hypothesis, introverts expressed more satisfaction from the transition to the video-conferencing Zoom platform than extraverts. In addition, for highly introverted people, high digital literacy was significantly associated with increased course satisfaction, whereas for highly extraverted people, a high number of social ties with peers from the course was associated with course satisfaction.

Originality/value

As expected, the study’s findings shows that there is no “one size fits all” approach for online learning. Learners with different personalities can benefit from learning environments that foster greater satisfaction with the learning experience. Online platforms can, and should, be designed in a way that offers this needed personalization, and this study provides initial principles that can inform such personalization.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-01-2023-0028

Details

Online Information Review, vol. 48 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1468-4527

Keywords

1 – 10 of 194