Question:
There are several types of networks; while the concepts are the same, only the names of the elements change. A network is a set of nodes connected by links, for example. However, some of the academic literature refers to nodes as agents or vertices and links as relationships. Examples of networks include random networks, highway networks, and the Internet. As Steven Johnson (2010) noted in his TED Talk, "an idea is a network."
Networks are a key structure in systems and depending on the system, nodes and links have different names. There are a variety of terms in use depending on the discipline. You will use the terms agent for node and relationship for link in your social organizations. Agents may be people, technologies, computers, machines, and such, while relationships describe the connections between agents. For example, one agent might report to another agent, thus a relationship would be "reports to." One agent might interact with another agent, such as an ATM, and the relationship might be "obtains information (money) from." Another example is that one agent, such as a cell phone, might receive information (text message) from a computer. Note: Multiple relationships may exist at one time. For example, one person may report to another person and at the same time the two people may be siblings.
To prepare for this Discussion, review the resources. Then, select an organization with which you are familiar and think about its organizational chart. MENTION the formal, informal, and interconnecting networks within the organization.
Write a brief description of the organization you selected and its formal and informal networks. Then, explain which type of network, formal or informal, has more of an influence on leadership and management within the organization and why.
RESOURCES
Newman, M. E. J. (2003). The structure and function of complex networks. SIAM Review, 45(2), 167-256.