External Ties Research Articles

Expert Patients and Networks of Expertise and Ignorance

Patients with rare or understudied diseases often encounter a lack of medical answers about diagnosis or treatment and might seek new ways to obtain answers. The conceptual framework of “networks of expertise” helps analyze such encounters with a lack of medical answers as situations of medical ignorance, which are not necessarily accidental and have been shown to reflect the bias and organization of related networks of expertise. In this context, the paper analyzes and compares public narratives of patients’ experiences and suggests three possible patient strategies for responding to the lack of answers. These strategies include establishing external ties with experts and non-experts outside of one’s healthcare teams, engaging with patient organizations to affect medical research, and engaging with online communities as an alternative or supplementary network of expertise. In all three cases, patients’ efforts are both epistemic and organizational, seeking to (re)shape broader networks of expertise so that they are more likely to generate answers. These organizational dimensions of patients’ knowledge production work can be overlooked by the debates on “expert patients” and the relationship of patients’ expertise to that of credentialed experts.

Unlocking Enterprise Innovation: The Impact of Big Data Analytics and External Network Relationships

Abstract. Innovation drives modern industry and enhances enterprise competitiveness. Despite China's progress, evident by its 14th position in the Global Innovation Index 2020, a gap remains compared to Western developed nations. Enterprises are key to national innovation, especially in the rapidly evolving tech landscape. Big data presents new opportunities and challenges for innovation. This study explores how enterprises can leverage big data to improve innovation outcomes, identifying factors that influence this process. Grounded in resource-based and social network theories, the research employs questionnaires to assess big data analytic capabilities, external network relationships, and innovation performance. Using hierarchical regression analysis and reliability tests, findings reveal that foundational and management capabilities of big data significantly impact innovation, while technical capabilities do not. External network relationships partially mediate this effect. The results offer insights for managers on utilizing big data and strengthening external ties to drive innovation and competitive advantage.

How position in the network determines the fate of lexical innovations on Twitter

This study analyzes the diffusion of lexical innovations on Twitter to understand how the social network position of adopters impacts their success. Looking at both successful and failed neologisms, we categorize them into "changes" which become established and "buzzes" which decline over time. Using a corpus of 650 million French tweets, we reconstruct user networks and characterize adopters of innovations during different diffusion phases based on prestige, centrality, clustering, and external ties. In the early innovation phase, change and buzz adopters have similar peripheral profiles. During propagation, changes spread to prestigious, central individuals while buzzes do not, which predicts their eventual success or failure. By the establishment phase, changes reach highly central users with closer external ties. The results align with sociolinguistic theories about weak ties for innovation and strong ties for establishment. Additionally, logistic regression models based on early adopter profiles can predict the fate of innovations. This work sheds light on the diffusion dynamics of online lexical innovations and the crucial role of user network factors.

The Influence of Historically Marginalized Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions of STEM on their Academic and Career Choices

Research has shown that university students approach STEM fields with preconceived notions that has the ability to influence their future STEM trajectories. Several scholarly investigations have explored pedagogical methodologies that not only recognize but actively validate the varied proficiencies that these pupils possess. This nested mixed methods study contributes to this work. Data sources included a survey, a card sorting activity, and student written reflections. By employing a thematic data analysis framework, the results indicated that students held the following perceptions of STEM: (1) STEM is task-oriented; (2) STEM is bound together by external ties; and (3) STEM is both optimistic and cognizant of the journey ahead. These results highlight the correlation between the perceptions and experiences of marginalized students in STEM. The study's implications suggest that to address the obstacles presented by external factors that hinder the acknowledgment of underrepresented students in STEM fields, policymakers, and academic institutions should take proactive steps to establish mitigation strategies.

To formalize, or not to formalize, business incubators’ networks: That is not the question

With more than seven decades of supporting entrepreneurs, today's business incubators are distinguished by their external networks. These networks of collaborators provide key resources, knowledge, and skills. Studies call on incubator managers to formalize the management of their networks, a practice that can generate a competitive advantage. However, research to date has been relatively silent on how to manage these external resources. To address this, the management practices of a top-performing business incubator in Canada were observed. Close to 50 individual interviews were conducted over a four-year period and theoretical concepts from the business incubation, network and social capital literature inspired the observed practices. The results show that network management is a shared responsibility between entrepreneurs, external stakeholders, and managers and formalizing external ties cannot be an all-purpose practice. As such, a theoretical framework is proposed to shed light on the dynamic nature of managing social capital. A management that is both relational and structuring brings out the trust and autonomy of people in situations of dynamic and, sometimes, constraining interactions. Highlighting these practices contributes to a more refined conceptualization of incubator management and, on a practical level, raises the importance of the human and relational dimensions in managing these changing environments.

Dark network resilience in a hostile environment: optimizing centralization and density

Objective: to analyze the legal nature, structure, and features of violent extremism and to develop measures to prevent this illegal behavior.Methods: dialectical approach to cognition of social phenomena, allowing to analyze them in historical development and functioning in the context of the totality of objective and subjective factors, which predetermined the following research methods: formal-logical and sociological.Results: in recent years, the world has witnessed the emergence of violent extremists (VEs), and they have become an ongoing concern for countries around the globe. A great deal of effort has been expended examining their nature and structure in order to aid in the development of interventions to prevent further violence. Analysts and scholars have been particularly interested in identifying structural features that enhance (or diminish) VE resilience to exogenous and endogenous shocks. As many have noted, VEs typically seek to balance operational security and capacity/efficiency. Some argue that their desire for secrecy outweighs their desire for efficiency, which leads them to be less centralized with few internal connections. Others argue that centralization is necessary because security is more easily compromised and that internal density promotes solidarity and limits countervailing influences. Unsurprisingly, scholars have found evidence for both positions. In this paper, we analyze the Noordin Top terrorist network over time to examine the security-efficiency tradeoff from a new perspective. We find that the process by which they adopt various network structures is far more complex than much of the current literature suggests.Scientific novelty: the research showed that a dark network’s adoption of a network structure is far more complex than what current literature suggests, namely that a network structure at either side of the cohesion and centralization continuums offers potential advantages and disadvantages in terms of network resilience. In the case of Noordin Top, it appears that his network’s focus on establishing external ties after its operations provided it possible access to resources but likely became a factor contributing to its exposure and eventual disruption. The network, much like its Bali I predecessors who also focused on establishing external ties after their operation, faced significant losses and needed to reconstitute itself immediately following each operation. This tendency, along with the general adoption of a centralized structure, suggests that Noordin’s network adopted a suboptimal structure that ultimately contributed to his demise.Practical significance:the main provisions and conclusions of the article can be used in scientific, pedagogical and law enforcement activities when considering the issues related to fighting extremism and terrorism. The article was first published in English language by Criminology, Criminal Justice, Law & Society and The Western Society ofCriminology Hosting by Scholastica. For more information please contact:CCJLS@WesternCriminology.orgThe submitted material is published in full, as interpreted by the author.For original publication: Everton, S. F., & Cunningham, D. (2015). Dark network resilience in a hostile environment: optimizing centralization and density. Criminology, Criminal Justice, Law & Society, 16(1), 1–20.PublicationURL:https://ccjls.scholasticahq.com/article/341-dark-network-resilience-in-a-hostile-environment-optimizingcentralization-and-density

“Dealing With it.” Creating External Fit in HRM Through Learning and Collaborating

Aim – The aim of the article was to begin with it explicitly adopts a best fit approach to external fit in HRM, by examining HRM innovation as the de-pendent variable. Then the article theorizes how HRM innovation relates to external developments that organizations experience. And finally, a theoret-ical framework is developed to understand how organizations to adapt to these developments. Methodology - The present study relies on a quantitative method and a deductive approach. Cross-sectional data were collected including several cases at one point in time. The responses from these cases provide the information for testing the hypotheses that state relationships among spe-cific variables. To investigate whether it was possible to reduce information and to create reliable measure of multiple items, a scale analyses were per-formed. Findings - The main findings of this study are twofold. First, the more de-velopments organizations face, the more innovate they are with regard to how they manage their human resources. Secondly, these innovations take place because organizations have organizational learning practices and co-operate more often on HR related issues with other organizations. Practical implications - Findings are basically in line with alignment ap-proaches, while adding more detail to the underlying mechanisms through which alignment is achieved according to the dynamic capabilities approach and the relational view. According to these approaches, organizations seek internal and external fit and those possessing dynamic capabilities and ex-ternal ties are better in achieving such fit. Since facing several trends means that misfits occur between the environment and the organization, organiza-tions respond by innovating their HRM through learning and collaborating. Originality/Value - This study tests the hypotheses that organizations achieve external fit via (1) the development of organizational learning prac-tices; and (2) by collaboration with other organizations. Quantitative data gathered with a survey among 711 private organizations from the Nether-lands are used to test these hypotheses.

Bilateral relations and foreign policy under Nigeria’s Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari, 2010-2021

Based on the assumption that the world has become a global society and that no entity can exist in isolation, Nigeria has continued to engage with other nations. Nigeria, being a sovereign entity, has established the goals it wishes to achieve through its dealings with other nations. This goal (s) has centered on the nation's domestic demands, often known as its national interest, which includes national security, economic prosperity, and the welfare of its population, but it appears these laudable goals are yet to be adequately realized due to her domestic challenges. The paper was therefore tasked with a critical appraisal of Nigeria’s foreign policy and the evaluation of her bilateral relations under President Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari’s administrations (2010–2021) in accordance with the nation’s national interest. The work utilized secondary sources of data collection such as diplomatic reports, academic journals, newspapers, magazines, books and internet sources. The study concluded that the relevance of a nation's external ties should be the primary emphasis of its foreign policy. Hence, it recommended that one of the ways to strengthen Nigeria's foreign policy is to develop a robust internal security posture in order to attract more external friends. In other words, Nigeria needs to strengthen its bilateral and multilateral ties. This is necessary for Nigeria to seek assistance in times of needs and to encourage economic growth by attracting FDI.

Director Interlocks and Group Affiliate Performance: Benefiting from Internal vs. External Ties

While business group research has emphasized the impact of interlocking directorates within groups, research has neglected the role of interlocks with firms outside the group. We theorize that external interlock partners improve the performance of group affiliates because of access to fresh ideas. Moreover, drawing on theories of learning through network ties, we propose that interlocks with poorer-performing partners enhance affiliate performance to a greater extent than better-performing partners. We further examine how internal and external interlock partners shape the performance of focal affiliates interactively. Using a dataset involving manually coded director interlocks of 781 listed firms affiliated with business groups in Taiwan between 2006 and 2015, we show that the ratio of external interlocks enhances affiliate performance, but the effect increases at a decreasing rate. As predicted, only interlock partners with poorer performance relative to the focal affiliate enhance the focal affiliate’s performance. While this pattern applies to both internal and external partners, the positive performance effect of poorer-performing external partners weakens when the focal affiliate’s performance is highly dissimilar to that of better-performing internal partners. Our results present a nuanced understanding of combining learning from both internal and external board interlocks in group settings.

Recurrent Formation of Vertical R&D Alliances and Value Network Reconfiguration in Automotive GVCs

When a lead firm is undertaking business-model innovation, it invites selected upstream partners in its global value chain (GVC) to its R&D alliance network. We argue that the upstream partner’s network advantages determine its likelihood to join the lead firm’s R&D alliance. Our analysis, based on data about automotive GVC, shows that having current ties increase the likelihood of R&D alliance formation. It further increases when the current ties cover multiple knowledge domains. It is also found that the effect of current ties is positively moderated by the upstream partners’ national institutional distances from the lead firm, but is independent of external ties it has with rival GVCs. Our finding shows an upstream partner can maximise its network advantages as a broker of flows between technological and geographic boundaries.

The multiple roles of network ties in the employee job search process

AbstractEmployee “water cooler conversations” with coworkers, as well as interpersonal interactions outside of one's employing organization, are key sources of information about the labor market. Although the value of network ties for job search is well recognized, research to date has tended to focus on how network ties relate to job search outcomes, providing little insight into what types of network ties offer information that shape job seeker perceptions and behaviors throughout the job search process. Drawing from Steel's (2002) evolutionary search model and social network research, we assert that different types of network ties—those that are weak versus strong and those internal versus external to the organization—offer different types of labor market information, which impacts employees' labor market perceptions, propensity to search for employment, and job search effectiveness. Using a time‐separated research design in a sample of healthcare workers, we find weak external ties are associated with more optimistic perceptions of the labor market, increased marketability, and early‐stage job search, and strong external ties are associated with greater marketability and propensity to engage in an early‐stage job search. Strong internal ties (SITs) have dual, opposing influences on employee job search: SITs are associated with less early‐stage job search, but they are also associated with increased concrete prospects when employees are more actively seeking alternative employment. Taken together, this study provides more nuanced insights into how network ties influence employee job search processes, clarifying ambiguities in this literature.

The role of a local network in achieving contextual ambidexterity in foreign subsidiaries operating in Brazil – a multi-level analysis

PurposeThis study aims to examine how knowledge acquired from a network built on trust and commitment can increase the management team’s effectiveness (MTE) in implementing an ambidextrous subsidiary.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey was conducted with top managers of foreign subsidiaries operating in Brazil. A total of 289 valid respondents were statistically evaluated using the partial least squares-structural equation modeling technique to test the model and hypotheses. A multilevel analysis research methodology was applied because the conceptual model relates constructs at the micro (political behavior and management team effectiveness) and macro (improved external ties [IET] and contextual ambidexterity [CA]) levels.FindingsSubsidiaries need to improve the MTE to achieve CA. The authors found that the local network built on trust and commitment facilitates access to differentiated knowledge. Unique knowledge reduces conflicts amongst team members and enhances explorative and exploitative activities to reach CA.Practical implicationsThe authors suggest that top managers can increase decision-making effectiveness by using trust and commitment to building a robust local network with selected stakeholders. Privileged knowledge allows attaining constructive political behavior (PB) and leverages exploitative and explorative activities.Originality/valueThe novelty resides in three aspects. First refers to linking CA and foreign subsidiaries in Brazil. Second, suggesting that IET has a double effect, as a moderator between PB and MTE, and concurrently has a direct effect on CA. Third, suggesting that capturing valuable resources from a local network built on the pillars of trust and commitment. Fourth, the authors examine the influence of differentiated knowledge on MTE.

The Role of the East Medan KUA in Overcoming the Level of Domestic Violence (Case Study of Glugur Darat II, East Medan District, Medan City)

The first 1974 law on marriage in force in Indonesia states that marriage is with a man as husband and wife, with the aim of creating a happy and eternal family based on the One Godhead. and external ties between women. Basically, a man can only marry one wife and a woman can only marry one husband. In a husband-wife relationship, each has its own responsibilities and obligations, cooperates according to the Prophet's Sunnah, and the husband as the head of the family is responsible for his family, just as the wife has religious values ​​dealing with the wife. respect him as a wife who raises children together. A wife also has family responsibilities such as respecting her husband, serving her husband, and taking care of him and his children. This would create the Sakina Mawada and Warama families

European novel food, patents and brokers of knowledge

PurposeThe purpose of this paper was to study how public regulation promotes or hinders openness in the food industry, specifically how European novel food regulation has affected external ties among novel food pioneers seen through patents and their inventors.Design/methodology/approachA multiphase mixed-methods design was used to combine data as follows: Worldwide patents originating from Norwegian novel food pioneers 2004–2019, downloaded through the European Patent Office database. Application data and interviews were analysed together with substantial information on 88 patents.FindingsFirms use patenting and novel food applications as part of a wider intellectual property rights strategy to guard against unintended spillovers and to shape external collaboration. Examinations of patents indicate a pattern of selective partnership with research and development (R&D) providers.Practical implicationsFood industry actors can combine property rights strategies to maintain a pattern of openness and external collaboration. R&D providers should consider the food industry's flag-planting strategies by integrating these into contractual regulations.Originality/valueLittle is known earlier about how novel food pioneers collaborate with suppliers, research actors, governmental actors, distributors and customers regarding new product development.

On Some Developmental Trends for The Russian-Mongolian Relationships

This article made available for publication is compiled on the basis of a report presented at the International Science Conference that took place on September 2nd, 2021, in the city of Vladivostok (Russky Island). It deals with the ordinary and megatrends reflecting the specific aspects in relation to the current stage of the Russian-Mongolian bilateral relationships. Such trends include, for example, diversification of external ties or orientation towards multidimensional collaboration. It is asserted that, throughout the century-old history of close interaction between Russia and Mongolia, since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two states, there have been a lot of epoch-making events and developments of landmark nature, which up to date constitute the meaningful elements of historic memory for our peoples, defining the overriding megatrend of our mutual understanding and affinity that bears a sustainable character, defying any influence of the political and economic environment factors.

Emerging Trends and Thematic Evolution of Breast Cancer: Knowledge Mapping and Co-Word Analysis.

BackgroundOne of the requirements for scientists and researchers to enter any field of science is to have a comprehensive and accurate understanding of that discipline.ObjectiveThis study aims to draw a science map, provide structural analysis, explore the evolution, and determine new trends in research articles published in the field of breast cancer.MethodsThis study comprised a descriptive survey with a scientometric approach. Data were collected from MEDLINE using a search strategy based on Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms. This study used science mapping, which provides a visual representation and a longitudinal evolution of possible interrelations between scientific areas, documents, or authors, thus reflecting the cognitive architecture of science mapping. For this scientometric evaluation of the topic of breast cancer research, a very long period was considered for data collection. Moreover, due to the availability of numerous publications in the database, the assessment was divided into three different periods ranging from 1988 to 2020.ResultsA total of 12,577 records related to scientometric studies were extracted. The field of breast cancer research demonstrated three diagrams containing the most relevant themes for the three chronological periods evaluated. Each diagram was plotted based on the centrality and density linked to each research topic. The research output in the field was observed to revolve around 8 areas or themes: radiation injury, cardiovascular disease, fibroadenoma, antineoplastic agent, estrogen antagonistic, immunohistochemistry, soybean, and epitopes, each represented with different colors.ConclusionsIn the strategic diagrams, the themes were both well developed and important for the structuring of a research field. The first quadrant comprised motor themes of the specialty, which present strong centrality and high density (eg, corticosteroid antineoplastic age, stem cell, T-lymphocyte, protein tyrosine kinase, dietary, and phosphatidyl inositol-3-kinase). In the second quadrant of diagram, themes have well-developed internal ties but unimportant external ties, as they are of only marginal importance for the field. These themes are very specialized and peripheral (eg, DNA-binding). In the third quadrant, themes are both weakly developed and marginal. The themes in this quadrant have low density and centrality and mainly represent either emerging or declining themes (eg, ovarian neoplasm). Themes in the fourth quadrant of the strategic diagram are considered important for a research field but are not fully developed. This quadrant contains transversal and general, basic themes (eg, immunohistochemistry). Scientometric analysis of breast cancer research can be regarded as a roadmap for future research and policymaking for this important field.

Effects of boards of directors' external ties on firms' IT success

PurposeGiven the huge investment and complexity of information technology, it is imperative that boards of directors fully play their important role in promoting firms' IT success. This study aims to investigate the effects of boards of directors' external ties on firms' IT success from the perspective of resource dependence theory.Design/methodology/approachAccording to the method of the matched sample comparison group, a total of 576 samples of listed enterprises in three periods were obtained.FindingsResults show that both boards' political ties and boards' business ties have a positive impact on firms' IT success. Environmental uncertainty and the institutional environment play different roles in the relationships between two types of external ties and firms' IT success. Specifically, the results show that the institutional environment can regulate the influence of the political association of directors on firms' IT success negatively. In addition, environmental uncertainty regulates the influence of directors' political association on firms' IT success negatively, as well as the influence of directors' commercial association with firms' IT success.Research limitations/implicationsThe external ties were measured by cross-sectional data. And the current study focused on two fundamental types of external ties.Originality/valueBoards' external ties are studied from both political and business perspectives, and the effects of these two types of external ties on firms' IT success are compared. Additionally, the moderating effects of the institutional environment (macro level) and environmental uncertainty (micro level) in these relationships are investigated.

Organic Nutrient Source Allocation and Use in Smallholder Farming Communities: What Are We Missing?

Organic nutrient sources (ONS) are managed as a key resource by smallholder farmers to maintain the productivity of soils. Recycling of ONS by applying them to soils is a globally dominant strategy of ecological nutrient management. Understanding how ONS produced on-farm are allocated and what drives farmer decision making around their use is critical for sustainable nutrient management in smallholder agroecosystems. Using focus group discussions and a survey of 184 farming households, we studied socio-economic, socio-cultural, and environmental drivers of ONS allocation and use at the farm scale in three contrasting agroecological zones of western Kenya. Farm typologies of ONS management were also developed using cluster analysis based on resource endowment and the connectedness of farmers, management norms, and interaction with extension. Our findings suggest that the more resource endowed a farmer is, the more ONS are allocated to the main plot within the farm. We also observed that farmers preferred allocating more resources to plots that were considered more fertile. Land tenure had an important influence, in that main plots not owned by farmers were more likely to retain ONS such as crop residues. Management of residues is dependent on farmer gender, for instance, female farmers tended to burn legume residues in particular, which is notable since these higher quality residues are often considered key to sustainable soil nutrient management. Farm typologies featured different allocation patterns of ONS and were associated with resource endowment and farmer networks, including external ties to extension agents and internal ties to other farmers. Finally, there was a strong overarching influence of agroecological zone that often escapes characterization on the allocation of ONS. As research and development organizations continue to engage with smallholder farmers to reduce the burden of global food insecurity, the insights gained by this research will allow better anticipation of drivers and obstacles to improved nutrient management in these farming landscapes and communities.

Keeping a keen edge: Social support among new venture team members and venture goal commitment

ABSTRACT Some recent studies have focused on how social support explains the variability of entrepreneurs’ venture goal commitment. These studies have exclusively featured solo entrepreneurs, however, examining the support available to individuals from external ties, while neglecting the social support shared among team members in new venture teams (NVTs). Using data on 81 NVTs and 335 individuals from the Haier Entrepreneurship Platform in China, we investigated the effects of the level of support, perceived heterogeneity of support, and balance between instrumental and emotional support in NVTs on their members’ venture goal commitment. Overall, with variations for the two kinds of support, we found that all of these facets—the level and heterogeneity of the support, as well as the balance between instrumental and emotional support—affected venture goal commitment among NVT members.

Exploring redundancies in multichannel knowledge sourcing in high-technology industries

ObjetivoColaborações científicas representam links externos informais que, juntamente com alianças formais de P&D, constituem uma rede de fornecimento de conhecimento multicanal em indústrias baseadas na ciência. Embora essa fonte multicanal de conhecimento beneficie as empresas ao fornecer um acesso mais completo a fontes externas, ela também envolve redundâncias potenciais significativas que merecem consideração. Essas redundâncias resultam da sobreposição de conhecimentos específicos e requisitos de recursos chave semelhantes, incluindo orçamento e pessoal de pesquisa. Apesar de sua importância, a literatura não fornece uma descrição completa das possíveis causas e contingências dessas redundâncias. O presente estudo dá um passo nessa direção, primeiro verificando sua existência, seguido por um estudo das contingências-chave que determinam a extensão dessas redundâncias.Design/Metodologia/AbordagemEste é um artigo empírico que usa o contexto da indústria farmacêutica para testar a interação entre colaborações científicas e alianças de P&D como impulsionadores do desempenho inovador de uma empresa farmacêutica manifestada na produtividade de suas patentes.ResultadosA análise empírica revela que o efeito das colaborações científicas e alianças de P&D é de fato parcialmente substituto ou redundante, e que a referida redundância é maior para empresas com baixa capacidade de absorção, utilização desequilibrada dos dois tipos de links externos e seu tamanho.Originalidadeesta é uma das primeiras tentativas empíricas de explorar os efeitos substitutos de colaborações científicas e parcerias de P&D no nível da empresa. Incorporar contingências importantes, como capacidade de absorção, utilização equilibrada de relacionamentos e tamanho da empresa, aumenta ainda mais a novidade e originalidade de nossa pesquisa.