ESRC Scottish Doctoral Training CentreInformation Science PathwayTraining day 16th October 2012

Theme is networkingTheme is networking

Context is information scienceContext is information science

Mix of presentations, exercises & discussionsMix of presentations, exercises & discussions

First exercise

Introductions In turn, each person around the table to introduce him/herself

ESRC Scottish Doctoral Training CentreInformation Science PathwayTraining day 16th October 2012

Networks and the research environment

Why focus on networking: individuals

Networks are a resource for the conduct of affairs, giving privileged access to, for example:

Information Opportunities Social status

Individuals trade intangibles Reputation Credibility Friendship Collective knowledge

You hear about a free place at a conference for a PhD student

You hear about a free place at a conference for a PhD student

You are invited to apply for the free placeYou are invited to apply for the free place

Your known connections have an influence as to whether or not you are successful in your application for the free place

Your known connections have an influence as to whether or not you are successful in your application for the free place

Networks for research support

In terms of research work, another key resource that depends on networks is support for funding and other forms of “buy-in” Often there is a preference/requirement for proposed projects run

jointly by two or more parties, both for applications for large amounts of money and for small scale “competitions”

An indication of how research findings will be disseminated across the community is also a requirement of an application for funding in most cases

Networks to help career development

General support of research projects Committee work PhD sponsorship

Specific help, e.g. access to data subjects, sites for data collection Committee work PhD case study

“Esteem” roles: peer reviewing, work for research councils, editorial boards, conference programme committees, keynote speaker invitations etc – and associated travel Conference conversations opportunities abroad Conference follow-up book authorship

Internal organisational networks

Internal projects also need resources Support in the form of funding, staffing, time, attention

Access to those who can offer these resources, and your ability to persuade them to share your agenda, strengthens the chances that your proposed projects will be supported

Network value is related to social capital

• Nahapiet, J. & Ghoshal. S. (1998). Social capital, intellectual capital, and the organizational advantage. Academy of Management Review, 23(2), 242-266.

Social capital and the generation of intellectual capital

• Widén-Wulff, G. & Ginman, M. (2004). Explaining knowledge sharing in organizations through the dimensions of social capital. Journal of Information Science, 30(5), 448-458.

Social capital and knowledge sharing

• Hall, H., Widén, G., & Paterson, L. (2010). Not what you know, nor who you know, but who you know already: examining online information sharing behaviours through the lens of social exchange theory. Libri, 60, 117-128.

Social capital, knowledge sharing and exchange theory

Early usage of the term “social capital”

Research in, and the literature of, Community Studies concludes that social capital

is found in networks of relationships depends on trust, co-operation and collective action supports the survival and function of city neighbourhoods supports childhood development in families

Central proposition of social capital

Networks of relationships are a resource for the conduct of affairs

Networks can: Be formal, e.g. family, class, school membership Have weak ties, e.g. friends of friends Have levels of focus: person, group, organisation, set of

organisations

Kinship/descent – biological ties

Friendship, liking, respect – evaluation of one person by another

Physical connection – co-location at work

Network types

Dimensions of social capital

Structural dimension Overall pattern of connections among actors: who reaches whom and how this is achieved.

Relational dimension Relationships developed through history of interaction between actors.

Cognitive dimension Shared representations and interpretations.

Structural and relational dimensions illustrated

Social network analysis to depict interactions (social/research-related) between actors in a network

BeforeBefore AfterAfter

BeforeBefore AfterAfter

Cognitive dimensions of social capital more difficult to illustrate

Social network analysis to depict awareness of research expertise amongst actors

Social capital is an unusual form of capital

It’s owned jointly by partners in the relationship There’s no exclusive ownership of it It’s difficult to trade It has special features

It can achieve ends that would be too costly to achieve otherwise, e.g. strong trust cuts down need for monitoring

It can achieve “unique” ends impossible to achieve otherwise e.g. through the exploitation of weak ties

Networking to support research in context

In general business terms “Getting on with people, especially at events” People wearing badges on a mission seek out new (sales) contacts

in “rich” environments

In research environment Approach to working – from making connections to engaging in the

discourse of the domain Need to play a “long” game Some events are really worth attending, for example for information

science iDocQ, i3, ASIST Annual Meeting Some people are really worth seeing

Some peculiarities: established researchers

They know one another very well and it’s unlikely that you know much about the relational dimension

of their shared social capital

Generally academics become less “conservative” as their careers progress odd behaviours observed amongst professors (for example) are

probably just that – and are not something to be emulated You dress to inspire confidence, trust, credibility, assurance Your written communications should do the same

Don’t begin “peculiar”! You want to be remembered for your research (and not your silly

hat/hysterical laughter/collection of teddies/partner’s pet name…)

Further peculiarities: information science

Well-organised community Particularly in online spaces such as mailing lists and Twitter News spreads fast

Small community Beware Dunbar’s number

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunbar%27s_number