1 How can social networks analysis add value to the bank’s knowledge management strategy? Scenario Three separate workgroups distributed across three different locations have been merged together following an extensive organization-wide restructuring plan. Two of the former workgroups have been relocated to a single location in London while the rest of the new workgroup are located in offices in Glasgow.

Issues

■ Need to integrate informal communication networks.

■ Integrate informal decision making, problem solving and information sharing activities to reduce emergence of factions.

■ Loss of personnel has lead to a loss of not just their knowledge and skills but their networks of relationships within and outside the groups.

Approach

■ Map: Uncover the hidden patterns of communication that drive workgroup performance.

■ Measure: Measure the extent of certain properties of the communication networks that affect performance.

■ Model: Use knowledge of how the people in the workgroup behave to create models of the groups and use scenario based planning to improve performance of knowledge networks.

Two types of knowledge networks Work based networks are made up of two types of networks:

■ Performance networks: related to the core tasks of the group (information seeking, decision making, problem solving)

■ Facilitating network: relating to the factors that provide the necessary conditions for the performance network to exist.

Methodology The following questions about performance networks were asked to groups of employees:

■ Information seeking: How frequently do you acquire information from the following people necessary to do your work?

■ Decision making: From whom do you seek inputs and decisions before making a key decision?

■ Problem solving: Who do you typically turn to for help in thinking through a new or challenging problem at work?