Networks

Personality and Networks

Some individual personality traits have been found to be associated with different types and structures of networks at work. For example, A. Mehra, M. Kilduff, and D. J. Brass examined how different personality types create and benefit from social networks in organizations. They measured the personality concept of “self-monitoring,” which refers to the degree to which individuals are willing and monitor and control their self-expression in social situations. They asked how self-monitoring orientation and network position were associated with work performance. The findings show that high self-monitors were more likely than others to occupy central positions that span social divides and thus have more heterogeneous networks. In addition, high self-monitors who had longer service in the organization had a more central network position in the organization, and this centrality predicted performance at work.

Gender, Race, and Networks at Work

Issues regarding gender and race in the context of work and inequality also have been studied by networks scholars. This perspective is based on the relations between the network structures of females or minorities and their organizational level outcomes. It examines whether—when differences in the work experiences of women and men are controlled—their networks at the workplace will be different or similar.

The findings suggest partial equality for men and women. Applying a gender perspective to networks can lead to different work-related outcomes even when women and men are similar in their structural positions within their work-related networks. Studies found that men and women are never in the same network position at work due to general gender inequality issues. Other studies found that the higher social status of men gives them an advantage in their social interactions and [Page 624]in their resulting instrumental networks. Even when men and women have similar rank positions at work, they benefit differently from different types of networks and they use their ties in different ways and for different purposes.

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