How does network position influence project performance in Chinese megaprojects? An inter-organizational conflict-based perspective

Purpose This study aims to explore the relationship between network position, various types of inter-organizational conflicts and project performance in the context of megaprojects. Design/methodology/approach Centrality and structural holes were used to represent network position. A theoretical model was developed, and a structured questionnaire survey was conducted with construction professionals involved in megaprojects. A total of 291 valid responses were obtained, which were analyzed via structural equation modeling. Findings The results showed that centrality negatively impacts project performance, while structural holes do not significantly impact project performance. Centrality negatively affects task conflicts, but positively affects process conflicts and relationship conflicts. Structural holes positively impact task conflicts, but negatively impact both process conflicts and relationship conflicts. Task conflict and relationship conflict exert constructive and destructive effects on project performance, respectively, while process conflict does not significantly impact project performance. Task conflict and relationship conflict play mediating roles. Task conflict weakens while relationship conflict strengthens the relationship between centrality and project performance. Task conflict strengthens while relationship conflict weakens the relationship between structure hole and project performance. Research limitations/implications This study provides a reference for the implementation of network governance, inter-organizational conflict management and project performance management in megaprojects. However, the impact of dynamic changes of inter-organizational conflicts and network position on project performance has not been discussed in the context of megaprojects. Future research may explore the impact of dynamic changes of conflicts and network position on project implementation. Originality/value This study increases the current understanding of the impact of network position on project performance. Moreover, a new direction for network governance in the context of megaprojects is provided. This study also verified both the constructive and destructive effects of conflicts and the mediating role they play, thus supplementing the literature on inter-organizational conflict management in the construction field.

Network Position and Crowdsourcing Innovation Contribution Behavior: The Moderating Role of Knowledge Absorption Capacity

Purpose. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between network position and crowdsourcing innovation contribution behavior and the moderating effects of knowledge absorption capacity on the aforementioned relationship. Design/Methodology/Approach. Focusing on the Chinese context, the study conducts empirical research with the user’s knowledge-sharing network of the MIUI community to test the research model. The negative binomial regression model which is suitable for processing discrete data is used to examine the main effects of the network position, knowledge absorption capacity, and crowdsourcing innovation contribution behavior. Findings. The findings reveal that the closer the user gets to the center of the network, the more likely they will contribute. The users’ knowledge absorption capacity can help stimulate the users’ crowdsourcing innovation contribution behavior, and the users with stronger knowledge absorption capacity are more likely to transform their network position advantages into innovative contribution behaviors. Practical Implications. The study provides evidence that network position has a positive impact on their crowdsourcing innovation contribution behavior, and knowledge absorption capacity promotes the crowdsourcing innovation behavior of users. Managers should encourage users to occupy a favorable network position and increase knowledge exchange with other users, while at the same time continuously improving their own knowledge absorption capacity. Originality/Value. This study combines social network theory and the individual mindset to introduce knowledge absorptive capacity into the relationship model of the user’s network position and crowdsourcing innovation contribution behavior, thereby constructing a complete path of “knowledge supply-knowledge acquisition-knowledge application-knowledge output.” The study contributes to provide a theoretical basis for an in-depth understanding of the influence relationship between network position and crowdsourcing innovation contribution behavior. Also, it provides a reference for enterprises to carry out practical crowdsourcing innovation community governance and improve innovation performance.

Overcoming the liability of distance? An exploratory study of the associations between social networks, sense of community and spatial colocation

Purpose This study aims to examine the associations of social networks with the sense of community (SOC) construct and spatial colocation or having an office. The study site was an institute for health-care policy research formed in 2011 by bringing together scientists from more than 20 different university units. Only 30% of the scientists were had an office or physical presence at the institute. Therefore, the institute was an ideal site to examine whether SOC was correlated with different dimensions of network position – connectedness, reachability and brokerage – even when the authors account for the lack of spatial colocation for the off-site scientists. Design/methodology/approach A two-part (sociometric and workplace) internet survey instrument was administered in 2014 to the institute’s population of 411 individuals. The sociometric data were used to create an undirected interaction network and the following dependent variables (DVs) or network centralities: normalized degree to measure connectedness; average reciprocal distance to capture reachability; and normalized betweenness to proxy brokerage. Separate node-level network regressions were then run with random permutations (N = 10,000) and listwise deletion for each of the DVs with SOC and spatial colocation as the independent variables, and variables that controlled for gender, organizational affiliation and job category. Findings SOC and spatial colocation are both positively and significantly correlated with network connectedness and reachability. The results suggest that both SOC and spatial colocation have a larger impact on reachability than connectedness. However, neither SOC nor spatial colocation are significantly associated with network brokerage. Finally, the findings show that SOC and spatial colocation are more reliable predictors of network connectedness and reachability than are key individual- and unit-level control variables, specifically the individual’s sex, job category and organizational affiliation. The controls were not significantly associated with any of the three network centralities, namely, connectedness, reachability and brokerage. Originality/value This exploratory study used social network analysis and node-level network regressions to examine the associations from SOC and spatial colocation to dimensions of network position. SOC is positively and significantly associated with network connectedness and reachability, suggesting that SOC is an important consideration when individuals are disadvantaged from the absence of spatial colocation. The findings have implications for work in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic as they imply that interventions based on the SOC construct could potentially lessen the negative effects of remote work on workplace social networks due to factors such as the reduction of social contacts.

Impact of corporate network position on strategic risk and company’s performance – evidence from Poland

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the links between a company’s position in a corporate network with its financial performance and strategic risk in the context of the largest Central European stock market. Design/methodology/approach This study integrates the theory of social network analysis (SNA) with corporate governance theory with a special focus on resource dependence theory. Using the framework of network social analysis, the authors use network measures of social capital and embeddedness. Findings The results of studying companies listed on the Polish stock exchange indicate that a company’s corporate network position has a significant negative impact on strategic risk while having no influence on its financial performance. The research also highlights the importance of a firm’s corporate governance model for both performance and strategic risk. Research limitations/implications The data collected, and SNA measures used made it possible to conduct a cross-sectional study. Compared to longitudinal studies, this type of study has a couple of disadvantages addressed in the paper. In the future, the dependencies observed in this study should be tested using longer-term data. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first paper integrating the corporate personal and capital networks to test risk and performance dependencies in the context of Poland’s corporate governance model. The findings and conclusions can also be applied to analyzing Central and Eastern Europe stock markets.

Respiratory Disease Risk of Zoo-Housed Bonobos Is Associated with Sex and Betweenness Centrality in the Proximity Network

Infectious diseases can be considered a threat to animal welfare and are commonly spread through both direct and indirect social interactions with conspecifics. This is especially true for species with complex social lives, like primates. While several studies have investigated the impact of sociality on disease risk in primates, only a handful have focused on respiratory disease, despite it being a major cause of morbidity and mortality in both wild and captive populations and thus an important threat to primate welfare. Therefore, we examined the role of social-network position on the occurrence of respiratory disease symptoms during one winter season in a relatively large group of 20 zoo-housed bonobos with managed fission-fusion dynamics. We found that within the proximity network, symptoms were more likely to occur in individuals with higher betweenness centrality, which are individuals that form bridges between different parts of the network. Symptoms were also more likely to occur in males than in females, independent of their social-network position. Taken together, these results highlight a combined role of close proximity and sex in increased risk of attracting respiratory disease, two factors that can be taken into account for further welfare management of the species.

Be a Little Rude, but not too Much: Exploring Classroom Incivility and Social Network Position in Adolescents

Classroom incivility is a critical concept relating to the academic and psychosocial well-being of children and youth. However, there has yet to be research investigating whether there are social benefits to this behavior in early adolescence. Therefore, the goal of this study was to explore the relationship between classroom incivility and measures of social network position, including incoming and mutual friendships, two forms of centrality, and social network prestige. We investigated network position of 488 students between the ages of 9 and 14 ( M = 11.48; SD = 1.14). Our findings highlight a general negative curvilinear association between classroom incivility and social network position. Specifically, children and youth who engage in moderate levels of classroom incivility have more friends and are leaders in the group (higher network prestige). In contrast, those who engage in higher or lower levels of classroom incivility have fewer friends and are less prestigious.

The Spatio-Temporal Evolution of China’s Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle Innovation Network: Evidence From Patent Citation at Provincial Level

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicle industry is in a rapid development stage. Studying the domestic spatial distribution of hydrogen fuel cell vehicle industry across a country, especially the spatio-temporal evolution of the innovation level and position of each region in innovation network, will help to understand the industry’s development trends and characteristics, and avoid repeated construction. This article uses social network analysis and patent citation information of 2,971 hydrogen fuel cell vehicle related invention patents, owned by 218 micro-innovators across 25 provinces of China from 2001 to 2020, to construct China’s hydrogen fuel cell vehicle innovation network. Based on the dimensions of knowledge production, knowledge consumption, and network broker, the network positions of sample provinces in three periods divided by four main national policies are classified. The main findings are as follows. 1) In China, the total sales of hydrogen fuel cell vehicle and the development of supporting infrastructure are balanced, and a series of national and local industrial development polices have been issued. 2) China’s hydrogen fuel cell vehicle innovation network density, the proportion of universities and research institutes among the innovators, and the active degree of the eastern provinces are all becoming higher. 3) The provinces in optimal network position are all from the eastern region. Shanghai and Liaoning are gradually replaced by Beijing and Jiangsu. 4) Sichuan in the western region is the only network broker based on knowledge consumption. 5) Although Zhejiang, Tianjin, Hebei, Guangdong, and Hubei are not yet in the optimal position, they are outstanding knowledge producers. Specifically, Guangdong is likely to climb to the optimal network position in the next period. The conclusions will help China’s provinces to formulate relevant development policies to optimize industry layout and enhance collaborative innovation in the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle industry.

Audit committee oversight of external audit: an examination of structural power and behavioural tactics

PurposeThis study aims to examine the structural power wielded by the audit committee (AC) and the various bases of its power, whilst also exploring the behavioural tactics used by the AC to leverage its power in the oversight of the external audit. Design/methodology/approachEmpirical evidence was drawn from semi-structured interviews with external auditors and AC members in Malaysia. FindingsThe AC’s structural power is derived from its formal and network position in the organisation. The AC possesses three forms of organisational-based power (legitimate, coercive and informational) resultant from its formal position, and these combine with the AC’s personal power (will and expert). The AC uses its personal power base to develop trusting relationships and to promote the exchange of information with other key corporate governance actors in the network position. Furthermore, the AC applies at least four behavioural tactics (assertiveness, ingratiation, rationality and coalition formation) to exercise its bases of power. Originality/valueThis study attempts to describe the AC’s structural sources of power, its organisational and personal power bases, and the behavioural tactics it uses when exerting its power.