Social network analysis in leadership studies Implications of power network analysis

1. Implications of power network analysis

2.  Social network is defined as a set of
individuals/actors with a routine and
established pattern of interpersonal contacts
who can be identified as members of a
network exchanging information, resources,
influence, affect, or power.
 A sociogram as the representation of a social
network is used for this kind of analysis.

3.  The social network perspective assumes that social
actors are embedded in a complex web of
relationships.
 Social network analysis is used to describe and
explain social and political structures.
 Social network analysis may be used in research in
order to have more understanding of social
phenomena by using network measures.
 Social network analysis may also be helpful for
practitioners for understanding a big picture as well
as micro-level relationships between social actors.

4.  Centrality is the common individual measure of
the status of an actor in a social network.
 Centrality is usually measured by “degree
centrality”, “closeness centrality”, and
“betweenness centrality”.
1. Degree centrality: number of links (in and out);
2. Closeness centrality: number of link to the
centre;
3. Betweenness centrality: the extent to which an
individual is between two other individual who
are not connected to each other.

6.  Density: the number of links in the network in
proportion to the number of possible links.
 Centralization: the degree to which all
members of the network are unequally central
in the network.

7.  Yukl proposed using social network analysis as a tool
for understanding power structure of a team or an
organization.
 Using this technique, power relationships between
different actors are specified and different measures
and relationships may be identified.
 Moving through power network relationships may be
helpful for identifying powerful individuals with
different levels of various types of power.
 In addition, different types of influence tactics may be
proposed by understanding the power network.

8.  Mayo, M., Meindl, J. R., and Pastor, J. (2003).
Shared leadership in work teams: A social
network approach, In C. L. Pearce and J. A.
Conger (Eds.). Shared Leadership: Reframing
the Hows and Whys of Leadership (pp. 193-
214). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publication.