"Social network analysis is the mapping and measuring of relationships and flows between people, groups, organisations, computers or other information/knowledge processing entities." (Valdis Krebs, 2002). In the context of knowledge management, social network analysis (SNA) enables relationships between people to be mapped in order to identity knowledge flows: who do people seek information and knowledge from? Who do they share their information and knowledge with? In contrast to an organisation chart which shows formal relationships - who works where and who reports to whom, a social network analysis chart shows informal relationships - who knows who and who shares information and knowledge with who. It therefore allows managers to visualise and understand the many relationships that can either facilitate or impede knowledge creation and sharing. Because these relationships are normally invisible, SNA is sometimes referred to as an 'organisational x-ray' - showing the real networks that operate underneath the surface organisational structure. This resource is from the National Electronic Library for Health's (NHS) Knowledge Management Toolbox. This has been added to Social Informatics Subject Tracer™ Information Blog.
posted by Marcus Zillman |
4:00 AM
