What is Network Mapping?
Network Mapping is how we build a social structure made of nodes (which are generally individuals or organizations) that are tied by one or more specific types of relationships. In this case we are interested in relationships or ties related to wildfire. Nodes are the individuals within the networks, and ties are the relationships between the individuals. There can be many kinds of relationships between these individuals: work, social, family, common interests, etc. Social networks operate on many levels and play a critical role in determining the way problems are solved, organizations are run, and the degree to which individuals succeed in achieving their goals. In its simplest form, a social network is a map of individuals that serves as a visual tool to identify those whom with they communicate and the type of relationships they have.
What’s a more useful network - smaller & tighter or larger & looser?
How well you know the people in your different social networks determines how useful the network will be to you. And it’s not what you’d expect. Smaller, tighter networks, where the individuals know each other well and share common interests can actually be less useful to their members than networks with lots of loose connections. Networks made up of people who don’t know each other that well, are more likely to introduce new ideas and opportunities to their members. In other words, a group of friends who only do things with each other, already share the same knowledge and opportunities. A group of individuals who are less well known to each other are likely to provide a wider range of information. It is better for individual success to have connections to a variety of networks rather than many connections within a single network.
Social networks have also been used to examine how organizations interact with each other, for example, the informal connections that link executives, as well as the connections between individual employees at different organizations. Power within organizations often comes more from the number of relationships an individual has, rather than what their actual job title describes.
One study found that more numerous weak ties can be important in seeking information and innovation. Cliques have a tendency to have more uniform opinions as well as sharing many common traits. This is usually why the members of the cliques were drawn together in the first place. To find new information or insights, members of the clique will have to look beyond the clique to its other friends and acquaintances. This is the strength of weak ties.
Why Do We Draw The Map?
Visual representation of social networks is important to be able to see the strengths and weaknesses of your communications. Seeing the people you talk to and the relationships you have, laid out in a map, makes it obvious where the bottlenecks are and where good communication flows.
What are the benefits of Network Mapping?
There are two primary benefits of network mapping. First: it can identify where communication breakdowns are occurring between and within groups and, second: it can identify individuals with knowledge that might be useful but not being tapped.
In extreme cases of communication breakdown, network mapping puts the spotlight on groups that might have been ostracized, for instance certain ethnic groups. As such, the map becomes an invaluable aid in measuring diversity. This is also important because social networks are often where promotions are discussed. Managers tend to hire people with whom they are most familiar so companies should work to integrate people in both work and social settings
There are always people in an organization who have knowledge that is not shared because they are not asked to share it. Network mapping can expose these individuals who then can be encouraged to share their knowledge and by including them they can become valuable for their ideas and insight.
Network Mapping Your “Report To” Communication Structure
The use of network maps began when traditional “Org Charts” or report to charts, failed to capture the increasing complexity of how individuals “actually” work and communicate. Based on a simple set of inputs, a network map can provide graphic representations of the informal knowledge shared within an organization. Currently, network maps represents the most accurate and systematic means we have to identify individuals who add value to the organization and the informal groups of people that can shape opinions.
Network Mapping Your “Actual” Communication Structure
Network mapping grew out of the conviction that work flow (and information exchange) is subterranean and therefore, an unmanaged process in most organizations. Traditional organizational charts usually fail to capture the complex web of informal relationships where real work gets done.
The goal is to illuminate informal organizations in order to identify not only clear breakdowns in cooperation and sharing but also, provide opportunities to improve the relationships and communications. Properly done, the map will provide a detailed and visual summary of the informal network and spotlight people who generate critical insights.
The map on the left shows the “report to” structure of an organization – the way it’s supposed to work. The map on the right shows how communication and interaction “actually” happen.
Though organized in set work groups, most network maps reveal that organizations actually function through more informal channels. Network mapping is the only means of pinning down exactly how the organization “really” functions. This process is absolutely mandatory for proactive management of the “communication chain”, without it, managers are reduced to responding after the fact, when “disconnects” cause a work effort to fail.
Draw your “actual” map.
Draw a map here of the people and/or positions you go to in order to really get work done.
External Networks
Stakeholders
Most recent definitions of stakeholders identify them as those who affect or are affected by a decision or action (sometimes referred to as active and passive stakeholders).
Research tells us that people have less trust in authority than ever before and want to be directly involved in decisions that affect them. There is a shift away from an emphasis on material well-being and physical security, and towards more emphasis on quality of life—things such as freedom, self-expression and self-actualization. This, in turn, has led to a rise in consumer activism, a decline in respect towards “authority”, and a broad-based demand for participation by citizens and stakeholders. Citizens are much less willing to ‘be told’ what is good for them. They want to be engaged in meaningful ways, at appropriate times, at varying levels and in ways that they can influence.
More individuals and organizations than ever before are pushing for participation and involvement on issues that concern and affect them. A stakeholder network made up of these people and organizations is more than the sum of its parts. Stakeholders see their organization as connected to other external environments. As a result, the organization depends on the well-being of its internal and external networks. When you consider the future of an organization depends on them, relationships are of critical importance. An important part of developing an external network is strong, trust-based relationships that result in stakeholders that are willing to engage in the process.
Developing a stakeholder network involves outreach. As relationships are built and/or strengthened, social capital increases and members have a greater willingness to take risks and act for the benefit of the whole network. Eventually, the network, rather than any individual, takes ownership of the overall issue(s) or opportunity(s) that originally brought the members together.
Traditional methods for engaging stakeholders are inadequate in complex situations. The starting point for drawing a network map in such situations is to identify the issue(s) and/or compelling questions that brought the stakeholder network together. In addition, members of the network must develop ways of working together that build trust, mutual understanding and commitment. Key principles are: mutual respect, inclusion of all voices, valuing diversity and a commitment to openness, transparency and maximum information sharing. By building or strengthening stakeholder networks, organizations can attune their values with those of their stakeholders, clarify their social responsibilities, develop new knowledge and create innovative solutions to complex problems, all necessary for collaborative action.
Mapping stakeholder networks can result in improved decisions by bringing together those with knowledge of the issues and the resources required to make changes. The process can also lead to constructive action that might not have been achieved by an organization alone. Learning about the perspectives and realities of others can shift the perspectives of network members, from defensiveness and blame, to understanding and openness to new opportunities or changes.
Organizations must develop new ways of thinking about engaging with stakeholders. Network mapping promises an effective approach to issues that are beyond the scope of any one organization. Engagement takes on a different character and potential when individuals make the transition from thinking of themselves as representing only one set of interests or perspectives, to thinking and acting for the benefit of many, interconnected networks. Human beings will work together for the greater good when they recognize their interdependence and actualize their co-creative power.
Social Networks
Social networks are comprised of individuals or nodes which are tied to one another through socially meaningful relationships. Analysts of social networks look beyond the specific attributes of any one individual to examine the relationships between them. Social networking literature discusses ways in which networks influence individuals and groups.
For example, research on the strength of ties between nodes/individuals shows how strong versus weak ties relate to different kinds of outcomes. When individuals share strong ties, an emotionally intense relationship with frequent communication, they tend to: 1) influence one another 2) share similar views 3) offer one another emotional support and help in times of emergency; 4) communicate effectively regarding complex information and tasks; and 5) be more likely to trust one another. The advantages of strong ties are obvious: stakeholders with strong ties are more likely to influence one another, and thus, creating strong ties among diverse stakeholders can enhance mutual learning and the sharing of resources and advice. The benefits of strong ties may be countered, however, as stakeholders who have shared strong ties for a long period of time, tend to have the same information and knowledge.
In contrast, diverse information and new ideas have been shown to travel best through weak ties. A weak tie is one with less frequent communication and/or less emotional intensity. Research has shown that weak ties tend to exist between individuals that don’t have a lot in common. As such, they offer the network access to diverse pools of information and resources. They do so primarily by providing connection to disconnected segments of a network. Weak ties can make a network more resilient and adaptive to organizational change. A potential drawback to weak ties, however, is that they may be easy to break and may lack the trust and understanding needed for in-depth dialogue over important issues.
Thus, organizations are beginning to realize that social networks matter. By understanding these properties in any given network, it is possible for those working and engaging with social and stakeholder networks to make better informed decisions about how to engage with and involve them in meaningful deliberation.
The combination of stakeholder and social network analysis can help identify members of groups, ensure key groups are not marginalized and specify representatives that are well connected with and respected by the groups they represent. Such information is also crucial for organizational goals that aim to influence the beliefs held by stakeholder groups through opinion leaders.
Opinion Leaders
Discovering and measuring opinion leadership is important as it reflects the extent to which individuals provide and/or seek information from others; therefore opinion leaders are individuals from whom others obtain information and/or advice.
Snowball sampling is an approach for locating information-rich key informants. In using this approach, a few potential respondents are asked whether they know anybody with the characteristics that you are looking for – in this case, those people who sway or have influence over public opinion in regard to wildfires. You might start in your own agency. Your initial contacts will likely have knowledge of who has been influential in their past experience – not necessarily based on a hierarchal format, but those who are “in the know” and often influence others. The people suggested by members of your agency should then be asked whom they consider opinion leaders, and so on, until you have a final list that changes very little. In other words, when you consistently hear the same names from multiple sources, these are likely to be your opinion leaders.
The idea is to identify people with particular knowledge, skills, characteristics or contacts that are needed for mapping a network of opinion leaders. The “snowball sampling” process finds people with the connections that will be useful and, aims to make use of their community knowledge and influence.
Homework
Map your Social Network
At home, make a list of those people, external to the organization, which you go to for information or advice that helps you in your work. For each, please provide their name, role, and a brief description of the type of information you get from them. These relationships could range from friends, spouse, in-law, a related organization, a vendor, etc.
Below are some questions to consider when coming up with your list:
Map your Opinion Leaders
To begin your opinion leader map:
Ø Identify up to 10 people who you feel are opinion leaders in your community. For each, please provide their name, role, and a brief description of the group or population to which they are most influential. (These may not all be supporters of your organization, in fact some may be vocal detractors, but if they are influential in swaying or effecting community opinion, list them.)
Ø Continue the snowballing with the opinion leaders you have identified, using them to gain more leaders as you have time.
Ø Ensure a diversity of contacts by widening the profile of persons involved in the exercise.
Provide both your social networking list and your opinion leader list to your agency PAO who will be mapping both for use in community outreach and communications.
