Doctoral Dissertation Research - Linking Networks to Individual Performance: Theory, Methods, and Causality

尽管有强有力的经验数据表明网络变量与组织结果之间的关联，但缺乏将个人的网络地位与个人水平的结果联系起来的因果解释。该项目考察了个体行为者与网络绩效之间的关系，以开发有效的模型来衡量网络的形成及其在促进或抑制组织环境中的成功方面的因果影响。该项目超越了传统的组织网络研究，涉及单一组织，调查来自中等规模公立学区25所学校的500多名教师和管理人员的社会结构。主要目标是更好地理解网络结构的前因和后果。网络先行模型将被设计来研究网络凝聚的过程。个人建构心理学和角色库网格将被用来建立一套假设与二元选择相关的个人建构。将开发网络后果模型，以了解网络变化影响个人和集体绩效的机制。将多层次建模和社会网络分析相结合，以捕捉嵌套在学校的教师的节点网络测量和整个网络测量之间的交互效应。预计网络前置模型和网络后果模型一起将阐明个人结构、个人属性、网络位置和绩效之间的复杂相互依赖关系。该项目还将提高对教师如何互动以探索他们的技能和交流知识的理解。将与该地区所有感兴趣的学校举办讲习班，讨论研究结果和政策影响，从这项研究得出的网络模型和方法以及相应的R代码将在网上提供。作为博士论文研究改进奖，提供支持使有前途的学生建立一个强大的，独立的研究事业。

Despite strong empirical data demonstrating the association between network variables and organizational outcomes, there is a lack of causal explanation linking an individual's network position to individual-level outcomes. This project examines the relationships between individual actors and network performance to develop valid models of measuring the formation of networks and their causal impact in facilitating or inhibiting success in organizational environments. The project moves beyond traditional organizational network research involving a single organization to investigate the social structure among more than 500 teachers and administrators from 25 schools in a mid-size public school district. The primary objective is to better understand the antecedents and the consequences of network structure. The network antecedent models will be designed to investigate the processes by which networks cohere. Personal construct psychology and the role repertory grid will be utilized to establish a set of personal constructs presumed to be associated with dyadic choice. The network consequence models will be developed to understand the mechanisms by which network variation influences individual and collective performance. Multilevel modeling and social network analysis will be combined to capture the interaction effects between nodal and whole network measures of teachers nested in schools.It is anticipated that the network antecedent and network consequence models together will clarify the complex interdependencies between personal constructs, individual attributes, network position, and performance. The project also will improve understanding of how teachers interact to explore their craft and exchange knowledge. Workshops will be held with all interested schools in the district to discuss the research findings and policy implications, and the network models and methods derived from this research as well as the corresponding R code will be made available online. As a Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement award, support is provided to enable a promising student to establish a strong, independent research career.