SWG 14: Organizational Network Research
Coordinators:
Barak S. Aharonson, Recanati Graduate School of Business, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
Terry L. Amburgey, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, Canada
Jörg Raab, University of Tilburg, The Netherlands
Organizational networks have been a central topic in organization theory over the last decade. In some cases the networks of interest are inter-organizational networks, collaborative endeavors between organizations; in other cases the networks of interest are intra-organizational networks comprised by interactions between individuals in an organization. Empirical analyses of both types of organizational networks have provided valuable insights into the nature and effects of structural characteristics, such as the relative efficiency of knowledge flow through networks with different structures. However, network analyses per se have, more often than not, been static in nature. Even when information over time has been available, the temporal component has been set aside or aggregated to the end point of the study. Recently, there has been increasing attention paid to network dynamics and network processes.
We believe that it is important to provide an institutional forum for participants representing various disciplines, theoretical orientations, and interests in networks at a variety of levels to exchange ideas and research results.
Topic areas include studies in organization science, institutional economics, structural sociology, public administration, economic geography, health care and business management.
The study of organizational networks is particularly relevant for Europe, because inter-organizational coordination is one of the foundations of European integration.
Next to the EGOS Colloquium 2012 in Helsinki we intend to organize a panel on teaching in the area of organizational network research and a PhD workshop with classes on theory and methods and the opportunity for current PhDs to present their ongoing projects.
The coordinators
Barak S. Aharonson is Assistant Professor at the Strategic Management Department at Recanati Graduate School of Business, Tel-Aviv University, Israel. His research focuses on inter-organizational networks, organizational ecology and patterns of technological competition and cooperation among firms and their influence on a firm's performance. Barak published articles in journals such as Research Policy, Strategic Organization and Industrial and Corporate Change.
Terry L. Amburgey is Professor of Strategic Management at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, Canada. His research interests include inter-organizational networks, organizational ecology, and quantitative methods. Terry has published articles in journals such as the Academy of Management Journal, Administrative Science Quarterly and Strategic Management Journal.
Jörg Raab received his PhD at the University of Konstanz, Germany, in 2000. He is currently Assistant Professor of Policy and Organization at the Department of Organization Studies, Tilburg, The Netherlands. His research focuses on inter-organizational networks, public organizations, networks and teams and dark networks as organizational problems. He has published in numerous edited volumes and in Journals such as the Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, Journal of Management Inquiry and Journal of Policy Analysis and Management.