Project Organizations as Social Networks
Publication: Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 136, Issue 4
Abstract
High-performance teams achieve outcomes that exceed the expectations of the project and often demonstrate unique or innovative approaches within a final solution. The foundation of this high performance is the ability to focus on the success of the team over individual objectives. However, the recognition of this emphasis is based on the establishment of professional trust and strong communications between the team members. The social network model of construction introduced a dual-focused approach to enhancing these elements and creating high-performance project teams. The approach emphasizes balancing both a traditional project management emphasis on efficiency of communications with a focus on the social factors that move the project team from efficient to effective. In this paper, the model is extended to present the results of four studies of organizations that are full-service engineering companies that also provide construction oversight services. The paper presents the results of these studies in terms of the social network model and the achievement of high performance in the project teams. Analytical and graphical results are presented based on social network analysis techniques to provide a multiperspective analysis of the project teams.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
Alba, R. D. (1982). “Taking stock of network analysis: A decade’s results.” Research Sociology of Organizations, Vol. 1, Emerald, Bingley, United Kingdom, 39–74.
Borgatti, S. P., Everett, M. G., and Freeman, L. C. (2002). UCINET for Windows: Software for social network analysis, Analytic Technologies, Harvard, Mass.
Boyd, D. M., and Ellison, N. B. (2007). “Social network sites: Definition, history, and scholarship.” J. Comput. Mediat. Commun., 13(1), 210–230.
Chinowsky, P. S., Diekmann, J., and Galotti, V. (2008). “The social network model of construction.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 134(10), 804–810.
Dunbar, R. I. M. (1993). “Coevolution of neocortical size, group size and language in humans.” Behav. Brain Sci., 16(4), 681–735.
Gibson, G. E., Jr., Wang, Y. -R., Cho, C. -S., and Pappas, M. P. (2006). “What is preplanning, anyway?” J. Manage. Eng., 22(1), 35–42.
Hansen, W. B., Reese, E., Bryant, K. S., Bishop, D., Wyrick, C. H., and Dyreng, D. I. (2008). Network genie user’s manual, Tanglewood Research, Greensboro, N.C.
Haythornthwaite, C. (1996). “Social network analysis: an approach and technique for the study of information exchange.” Libr. Inf. Sci. Res., 18(4), 323–342.
Jaselskis, E., and Ashley, D. (1991). “Optimal allocation of project management resources for achieving success.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 117(2), 321–340.
Katsanis, C. J. (2006). “Network organizations: Structural and strategic implications.” Proc., 2nd Specialty Conf. on Leadership and Management in Construction, PM Publishing, Louisville, Colo., 108–115.
Katzenbach, J., and Smith, D. K. (1993). The wisdom of teams, Harvard Business School Press, Cambridge, Mass.
Kotter, J. P. (1996). Leading change, Harvard Business School Press, Cambridge, Mass.
Krebs, V. E. (2004). Managing the connected organization, ⟨http://www.orgnet.com⟩ (August 1, 2009).
Li, P., Xi, Y., and Yao, X. (2008). “Where does help come from: A case study of network analysis in an academic group.” Connections, 28(1), 73–87.
Losada, M. (1999). “The complex dynamics of high performance teams.” Math. Comput. Modell., 30, 179–192.
MAGE. (2008). “3D analysis: The mage page.” ⟨http://kinemage.biochem.duke.edu/kinemage/magepage.php⟩ (Dec. 1, 2009).
Moreno, J. L. (1960). The sociometry reader, The Free Press, Glencoe, Ill.
Morton, S. C., Dainty, A. R., Burns, N. D., Brookes, N. J., and Backhouse, C. J. (2006). “Managing relationships to improve performance: A case study in the global aerospace industry.” Int. J. Prod. Res., 44(16), 3227–3241.
Pinto, J. K., and Covin, J. G. (1989). “Critical factors in project implementation: A comparison of construction and R&D projects.” Technovation, 9(1), 49–62.
Poulton, B. C., and West, M. A. (1993). “Effective multidisciplinary teamwork in primary health care.” J. Adv. Nurs., 18, 918–925.
Pryke, S. D. (2004). “Analysing construction project coalitions: Exploring the application of social network analysis.” Constr. Manage. Econ., 22(8), 787–797.
Scott, J. (1991). Social network analysis: A handbook, Sage, London.
Taylor, J., and Levitt, R. (2004). “Understanding and managing systemic innovation in project-based industries.” Innovations: Project management research, D. Slevin, D. Cleland, and J. Pinto, eds., Project Management Institute, Newton Square, Pa.
Wasserman, S., and Faust, K. (1994). Social network analysis, Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, Mass.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2010 ASCE.
History
Received: Dec 21, 2008
Accepted: Oct 1, 2009
Published online: Oct 14, 2009
Published in print: Apr 2010
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.