Detecting network leaders in enterprises

Abstract

This paper describes an interdisciplinary study aimed at analyzing leadership in less formal collaboration environments, such as enterprise social networks (ESNs). To conduct our research, we defined a measure of network leadership which draws on organization theory and on a computational model based on multiplex networks. This model, along with a social network analysis toolkit developed in the context of the present study, enabled the systematic empirical analysis of a large ESN, as a function of gender, time, roles, and discussed topics.