Intra-Organizational Two-Mode Networks Analysis of a Public Organization

Abstract

IntroductionThe intra-organizational analysis of relationships and ties between (human and nonhuman) nodes is a relatively rare subject of interest among researchers specializing in organizations and management. Most scientists concentrate on inter-organizational relations (e.g., Carlsson, 2003; Harima, 2014; Hydle & Meland, 2016; Mentzas et al., 2006; Ryan et al., 2014; Wasche, 2015), including one-mode social networks (e.g., Alguliyev et al., 2015; Fang et al., 2015; Hollenbeck & Jamieson, 2015; Zemaitaitiene et al., 2016). Even when the research deals with two-mode networks, where relations are identified within the affiliation network, they still remain social networks (Field et al., 2006; Rawlings & McFarland, 2011; Rodriguez et al., 2011), which determine the ties between actors and a particular organization, location or events (Davis et al., 2009).In this research, networks have a two-mode nature and contain relations between an actor (human) and an actor (non-human): knowledge, resources and tasks. There are also relations only between non-human actors: between knowledge and a task and resources and a task. The analysis of this area is justified by the fact that an outlook on organizations, taking into account the interrelationship of ties between employees and knowledge, resources and tasks they use or perform in their work, provides a complex picture of how effectively an organization works from the perspective of the network of relations and ties. The unique networks analyzed here are: networks of knowledge (an employee utilizes knowledge), networks of resources (an employee uses resources, usually intangible ones, such as computer software) and networks of tasks (an employee performs a task). To calculate the workload generated by work, knowledge and resources it is necessary to determine the interdependencies between knowledge and tasks (what knowledge is essential to accomplish the task) and between resources and tasks (what are key resources for accomplishing the task). The input data in shape of a two-mode matrix was presented in Table 1 below.Taking the above into account, apart from research questions, the following research hypotheses were formulated:H1: There is a relation between the knowledge network and the resource network.H2: There is a relation between the knowledge network and the task network.H3: There is a relation between the resource network and the task network.The article fills the gap in research concerning two-mode networks in intraorganizational conditions, correlations existing between specific networks and effectiveness of using intangible resources in an organization. The theoretical context is provided by the resource approach and the actor-network theory which has not been yet widely used in theories of organization and management, particularly, however, on resource-based approach. The actor-network theory is a unique approach to joining people, artifacts, institutions and organizations, which allows to understand the complexity in which organizations function. As rightly observed by Czarniawska and Hernes (2005), many European and American scientists use ANT to examine various aspects of an organization, including technologies, organizational changes, procedures, virtual organization, strategy, power, market mechanisms, consumer behavior, public administration and knowledge management. However, there is a deficit of research which would combine ANT and the network approach. Usually, ANT is used is research on information systems (e.g., Doolin & Lowe, 2002; Tatnall, 2005; Walsham, 1997).The article treats social relations, including the prominence of network nodes, as network results. Similarly to Law's approach (1992) it was assumed that ANT describes heterogeneous networks and an organization would not exist is it was only social. Intangible resources, such as knowledge, resources (structural capital), understood as IT infrastructure, and tasks create the complexity of the network and are of primary importance for social networks existing in an organization. …