Role Of Informal Social Networks Research Articles

The Role of Informal Social Networks in Supporting Parents With Learning Disabilities: A Systematic Review

ABSTRACTBackgroundParents with learning disabilities are often assessed as lacking the capacity to parent effectively; however, ecological models of parenting indicate that support from informal social networks (ISNs) can help them successfully maintain family life. This systematic review examined evidence regarding (1) parent and child outcomes associated with support from ISNs and (2) perceptions of the roles of ISNs for parents with learning disabilities.MethodsPeer‐reviewed quantitative and qualitative literature was identified through a search of six databases, and a narrative synthesis was subsequently conducted.ResultsTwenty‐six articles were included in the review. Findings of the quantitative synthesis provided preliminary evidence for a positive relationship between support from ISNs and parental mental health, positive parenting practices and child wellbeing. The qualitative synthesis indicated that parents benefited from ISNs through their provision of practical and emotional support and learning skills. Network characteristics that divided supportive from unsupportive members were also identified.ConclusionParents with learning disabilities receive the same positive outcomes from ISNs as other parents, although unique contextual and social challenges may affect their experiences. Future research should explore interventions to build ISNs of parents with learning disabilities that acknowledge their existing strengths as parents and community members.

Seeking information and services associated with reproductive health among rural Peruvian young adults: exploratory qualitative research from Amazonas, Peru.

Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) literacy allows young adults to make informed decisions about health outcomes. In Peru, roughly one fifth of the population lives in rural areas, and little is known about where young adults in rural areas get their SRH information. The aim of this study was to identify what motivates and influences young adults to seek information and care related to SRH in three rural communities in the highlands of Northern Peru. Five gender-stratified focus group discussions with a total of 24 participants, and nine follow-up interviews were conducted to generate in-depth narrative data and triangulate data from the target group. Participants were women and men aged 18-24. The focus group discussions and interviews explored sources of reproductive health information, the role of informal social networks, barriers to care, and primary health concerns of the target population. Main findings include: (1) The two greatest perceived SRH risks were unwanted pregnancy and abnormal discharge; (2) There appears to be limited concern about HIV or other sexually transmitted infections in the narratives; (3) There is a low quality of information concerning SRH, with discrepancies between the genders; (4) A broad spectrum of sources for SRH information were cited, including Internet, traditional healers, and specialized care; and varied by gender and life experience; (5) Having trust in the information source was the primary variable associated with uptake of services and/or access to information for both men and women. However, men reported more embarrassment around seeking services and information, whereas women faced more physical barriers. There is a lack of SRH information among young adults in some communities in the northern highlands of Peru. Both schools and health centers were noted as being trusted and established information sources for all genders so could be a key resource to explore as a way to disseminate information.

Personal knowledge management and enactment of personal knowledge infrastructures as shadow IT

PurposePersonal knowledge management (KM) lends new emphasis to ways through which individual knowledge workers engage with knowledge in organizational contexts. This paper aims to go beyond an organizational approach to KM to examine key personal KM and knowledge building (KB) practices among adult professionals.Design/methodology/approachThis paper presents a summary of the findings from interviews with 58 consultants from 17 managing consulting firms. Participants were selected based on their knowledge-intensive roles and their willingness to share information about their knowledge practices. Data analysis was inductive and revealed multiple personal KM activities common among research participants, and the way these are supported by informal ties and various technologies.FindingsThis work highlights ways in which “shadow information technology” undergirds personal knowledge infrastructures and supports KM and KB practices in the context of management consulting firms. The results uncover how personal knowledge infrastructures emerge from personal KM and KB practices, and the role of informal social networks as well as social media in supporting personal KM and KB.Research limitations/implicationsThis study contributes an overall conceptual model of factors that help knowledge workers build a personal knowledge infrastructure. By affording an understanding of socially embedded personal KM activities, this work helps organizations create a balance between KM strategies at the organizational level and personal knowledge goals of individual workers.Originality/valueMuch of the previous research on KM adopts organizational approaches to KM, accentuating how organizations can effectively capture, organize and distribute organizational knowledge (primarily through KM systems).

Caste, Social Networks and Variety Adoption

Social networks influence technology diffusion but targeting formal leaders (institutional central nodes) may lead to distributional consequences. This paper analyzes the role of informal social networks in technology diffusion in a socially hierarchical caste-based society. Often, information flow and technology diffusion are constrained by social and economic boundaries where informal nodes such as caste play a very decisive role in everyday life. Proper targeting and dissemination of technology to the marginalized sections of society are very important for their development. We observed that only one-fourth of farmers cultivate newer varieties which include hybrids and recently released high yielding varieties. The results showed that individuals belonging to marginal groups are influential and act as informal leaders when they are the dominant caste in the village. Progressive farmers are found to fail in disseminating new varieties, and targeting influential informal leaders who belong to the dominant caste of the village appears to be a better strategy. Among non-dominant caste members, influential leaders belonging to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) or Scheduled Tribes (STs) are more desirable targets than other caste groups. The more concentrated a network is in terms of its caste composition, the faster will be the spread of any technology.

Working Paper 30: Corruption and wildlife trafficking

As part of a multi-disciplinary programme of work focused on intelligence-led action against financial crime in illegal wildlife trade (IWT), the Public Governance division of the Basel Institute on Governance is leading research and community engagement activities in East Africa.
 The objective is to contribute towards the prevention and combating of IWT by developing a better understanding of the context-specific drivers of trafficking and the role of informal social networks and their associated corrupt practices in facilitating such illicit behaviours.
 This Working Paper presents a broad overview of relevant literature on wildlife trafficking, focused on two main questions:
 
 Why does wildlife trafficking happen?
 How does wildlife trafficking happen?
 
 It reflects on important themes and dynamics in regard to the wildlife trade in Africa; the drivers and facilitators of wildlife trafficking; the characteristics, functions and operations of trafficking networks; corruption as a cross-cutting theme; and the important role of Uganda as a transit country for the trafficking of wildlife.
 The literature review provides the conceptual anchor for social network analysis and field research in East Africa, in particular Uganda. The insights gained are important stepping stones to address the third main question of the wider research project:
 
 What can be done to curb wildlife trafficking?
 
 Developing a better understanding of the root causes of IWT, along with the application of social network analysis to support the investigation of related crimes, provides a novel and complementary approach towards the prevention and effective combating of IWT in East Africa.

Tacit networks, crucial care: Informal networks and disaster response in Nepal’s 2015 Gorkha earthquake

It is often reiterated that a better understanding of local networks and needs is key to risk reduction. Nevertheless, the crucial role of informal social networks and actors in the catering for human needs in disaster circumstances remains largely under-explored. If we have to rethink the ‘work’ that informality does for our understanding of urban areas, its contribution to resilience, and take it seriously in the ‘full spectrum of risk’ in urban and peri-urban centres, better and more balanced methods are needed. This paper attends to this gap. Examining the mechanisms of aid provision in the aftermath of the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake in Nepal, it details an experimental set of quantitative research methods to explore the role of informal social networks in the provision of critical human needs in natural disasters. Relying on a sample of 160 households across four districts and 16 villages in the built environment affected by the Gorkha earthquake, the paper reveals that, overall, a wide disparity exists in the comparative importance of organisations in the provision of aid and resources. Much crucial after-disaster care is catered for by a mix of relatives, temples, friends, neighbours and local clubs. It highlights the importance of informal networks in understanding, and theorising, governance (of disaster and of the ‘urban’ more in general), and calls for greater attention to its role. It is time, it argues, to revalue informal disaster governance networks as a crucial, not tacit, component of disaster response.

Exploring the implications of formal and informal social protection practices among the Afar communities in Ethiopia

Evaluating the real impact of social protection instruments on social welfare is an important concern for governments, policymakers, and donors. This review explores social protection practices and the associated social institutional arrangements in the pastoral communities of Afar region, Ethiopia. Social capital in Ethiopia has involved different mechanisms and institutions and is implemented through various modalities. Traditional forms of social capital have made strong contributions, enabling people to mitigate crises. In the Afar community, the role of informal social networks is crucial and involves the sharing of food, animals and money during crises. Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) has wider developmental aims, but its impact on pastoral communities has not gone beyond consumption smoothing. Climate change, which is associated with high rainfall variability, frequent drought and the fragile nature of the land, with serious degradation of natural resources, have presented severe problems for the pastoral community. And the effects are felt more by female-led households. The unequal treatment of women in social and economic affairs in these communities limits the ability of women to contribute to appropriate responses and adaptation. To cope with climate-related shocks, pastoralists pursue the traditional strategy of seasonal migration in search of pasture and water, and other strategies such as reducing the number of animals, selling of animals and herd diversification and conversion. Establishing efficient disaster prevention mechanisms, empowering women, enhancing local PSNP implementation capacity, strengthening and formalizing local networks, providing alternative employment and strengthening and introducing agricultural practices are all important in efforts to increase the effectiveness of the program, and complement efforts to improve pastoral livelihoods. JEL codes: I31, I38, P46, R11

Doing research with police elites in Ghana

Much of our methodological insights from researching policing in sub-Saharan Africa comes from studies of frontline officers. Consequently, many important methodological questions about research on senior police officers remain unanswered. This article addresses this gap by drawing on insights from interviewing senior officers in Ghana. It focuses on the challenges and opportunities in negotiating access, establishing trust during interviews and dealing with ethical dilemmas. We highlight the role of informal social networks and cultural practices of surprise visits, what we have termed strategic ambush, in securing formal approval for our research. However, this represented mere or putative access for which deference towards institutional gatekeepers was key to its actualization. Deference towards officers and extensive knowledge of the policing environment helped to put the senior officers at ease, and enhanced the chances of a successful interview. Finally, we offer reflections on our responses to unexpected ethical dilemmas that we faced in the field.

IS SOCIAL CAPITAL IMPORTANT IN FORMAL-INFORMAL SECTOR LINKAGES?

Is social capital important in formal-informal sector linkages? Previous research focused on the role of the productive capacities of the enterprises in the informal sector as determining factors. This paper aims to uncover, at least in part, whether or not social capital is important in facilitating the linkages between enterprises in the formal and informal sectors. As a novelty, having linkages with the formal sector is treated as a rare event. Consequently, the analysis involves flexible binary generalized extreme value models using data from the World Bank Informal Sector Surveys. The scope is thirteen countries from sub-Saharan Africa. The results are indicative that social capital has significantly positive, real effects on the likelihood of linkages. If one sees the informal sector as a source of jobs and as a stepping-stone to the formal sector, there is a case for the recognition of the role of informal social networks in the design of entrepreneurial policy.

Abstract A43: A System-Change and Community-Based Participatory Research Approach to Understanding the Role of Informal Social Networks During the Cancer Care Journey

Abstract Background: Racial disparities in quality and completion of cancer treatment have been associated with poorer health outcomes among African Americans (AA) compared to White Americans (WA). Support from informal social networks – such as family members and friends - during the cancer care journey is critical. Yet, few studies have examined system-level factors associated with family and friend involvement in cancer care and whether system-level factors contribute to racial variations in their involvement. The purpose of this study is to investigate (a) cancer survivor perceptions on involvement of and effects from their informal social network during their cancer journey, (b) healthcare system factors that influenced the type and degree of network involvement, and (c) racial differences in survivor/network member experiences with the healthcare system during the cancer journey. Methods: Accountability for Cancer Care through Undoing Racism and Equity”, a 5-year system-change intervention trial funded by the National Cancer Institute, is a community-based participatory research (CBPR) partnership of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), Greensboro Health Disparities Collaborative, and two cancer centers. ACCURE aims to reduce racial inequity in quality and completion of treatment for Stage 1-2 breast and lung cancer patients at the two partner cancer centers. As part of the formative work for this study, focus groups were conducted with Black and White early-stage breast and lung cancer survivors to understand how encounters with the healthcare system influenced their treatment experience (diagnosis through survivorship). Our racially diverse CBPR partnership developed, conducted, and analyzed focus group data from 8 focus groups with early stage breast and lung cancer survivors at the two cancer centers: 4 focus groups with AA survivors (n=12) and 4 focus groups with WA survivors (n=15). Results: Informal network member involvement was associated with barriers to care patients encountered in the cancer system; aspects of cancer care that helped to facilitate patient care and treatment; and, racial differences in critical encounters with the health system. Involvement with and health related experiences of family members and friends also influenced survivor interactions with the health care system, though differences by race were observed. Conclusion: Cancer survivors identified several healthcare system factors that influenced the nature of social network member involvement during cancer care, with some differences by race. Implications for system-changes to improve care for early-stage breast and lung cancer patients and survivors, and considerations of family and friend involvement in care, will be discussed. Citation Format: Katrina R. Ellis, Jennifer Schall, Stephanie Baker, Kristin Zenee Black, Carol Cothern, Kia Davis, Kay Doost, Eugenia Eng, Christina Goettsch, Fatima Guerrab, Christina Hardy, Alexandra Lightfoot, Neda Padilla, Cleo Samuel. A System-Change and Community-Based Participatory Research Approach to Understanding the Role of Informal Social Networks During the Cancer Care Journey. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Ninth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2016 Sep 25-28; Fort Lauderdale, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2017;26(2 Suppl):Abstract nr A43.

Reconciliation of work and family care in the context of the underemployment phenomenon in Poland

This paper investigates the relationships between the phenomenon of underemployment in Poland - defined as a non-standard form of employment, particularly as work on fixed-term contracts - and the role of informal social networks and family in meeting social needs. Two different hypothesis are considered. The first hypothesis. Extension of labor market segmentation leads to an increase in the role of family and informal social networks among workers, who are deprived of stable employment and with limited chances of promotion. Employees with fixed-term contracts (according to Eurostat 28,2% of all employees) have a limited access to public and commercial institutions that meet social needs. For those people the family and community should play an important role in providing individuals with goods and services. In other words, underemployment fosters familiarization in Poland. The second hypothesis. Employees with lower average incomes from fixed-term work have a limited access to affluent social support networks. The rule of reciprocity is weaker among these segments of social structure. Thus, the role of community and family plays a less significant role in households where non-standard employment is prevalent. The intensity of family's and informal social network's support is explored in reference to child care and financial transfers within informal networks. The analysis is based on the EUSILC data from 2008.

The Role of Informal Social Networks in Micro-Savings Mobilization

The Role of Informal Social Networks in Micro-Savings Mobilization