Time for a Real Shift to Relations: Appraisal of Social Network Analysis Applications in the UK Construction Industry

Abstract

The Social Network Analysis (SNA) has been adopted in the UK construction management research and generated meaningful insights in analysing project management organisations from network perspectives. As an effective tool, social network analysis has been used to analyse information and knowledge flows between construction project teams which are considered as the foundation for collaborative working and subsequently improving overall performance. Social network analysis is based on an assumption of the importance of relationships among interacting units. The social network perspective encompasses theories, models and applications that are expressed in terms of relational concepts or processes. Many believe, moreover, that the success or failure of organisations often depends on the patterning of their internal structure. This paper reviews existing literatures on SNA applications in construction industry from three leading construction management journals. From the review, the research proposed some advance in the application of SNA in the construction industry.