Everything is connected: people, information, events and places. A practical way of making sense of the tangle of connections is to analyze them as networks. The objective of this workshop is to introduce the essential concepts of Social Network Analysis (SNA). It also seeks to show how SNA may help organizations unlock and mobilize these informal networks in order to achieve sustainable strategic goals. After discussing the essential concepts in theory of SNA, the computational tools for modeling and analysis of social networks will also be introduced in this presentation.

1. Part 1: Introduction
Social Network Analysis
Dr. Vala Ali Rohani
Vala@um.edu.my
VRohani@gmail.com

2. What are networks?
• Networks are sets of nodes connected by edges.
“Network” ≡ “Graph”
node
edge

3. What is the Social Network Analysis (SNA)?
• SNA is the mapping and measuring of relationships and
flows between people, groups, organizations, computers,
URLs, and other connected information/knowledge entities.
• The nodes in the network are the people and groups while
the links show relationships or flows between the nodes.
• SNA provides both a visual and a mathematical analysis of
human relationships.

4. Why Social Network Analysis (SNA)?
• Are nodes connected through the network?
• How far apart are they?
• Are some nodes more important due to their position in the
network?
• Is the network composed of communities?
• How will be the patterns for information diffusion?

5. Now,
let’s see some samples …

6. Internet
structure of the Internet at the level of autonomous systems. Data source: Mark
Newman http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/netdata/.

7. Political Blogs
Liberals
2004 United States Presidential Election Network
Conservatives

8. Organizations

9. Facebook Network

10. SNA in Organizations (or ONA)

11. SNA in Organizations (or ONA)
SNA is focused on uncovering patterns with regards to how people interact by
using maps and metrics (mathematical analysis of human relationships) and
evaluating the quality of a social network.

12. SNA in Organizations (or ONA)
The use of Social Network Analysis allows an organization to:
• Conduct ‘what if’ analysis before making organizational changes in order to
identify key network connections that must not be broken in a
reorganization process.
• Gain insight into how decisions are made and the effectiveness of the
existing organizational structures.
• Reveal the real experts in the enterprise and best knowledge resources, and
who is accessing them.

13. SNA in Organizations (or ONA)
The results of Social Network Analyses can be used to:
• Identify teams and individuals playing central roles, such as thought leaders, key knowledge brokers,
experts, etc.
• Identify isolated teams or individuals and spot opportunities for knowledge flow improvements.
• Detect information bottlenecks.
• Detect opportunities for increased innovation, productivity, and responsiveness.
• Accelerate the flow of knowledge and information across functional and organizational boundaries.
• Improve the effectiveness of formal communication channels.
• Target opportunities where increased knowledge flow will have the most impact.
• Introduce organizational changes without breaking important connections and knowledge-sharing
groups.

14. Some Basic Definitions:

15. Some Basic Definitions:

16. Some Basic Definitions:

17. Some Basic Definitions:

18. Some Basic Definitions:

19. In this workshop, you will get familiar
with following softwares:
 Gephi (visualization and basic network metrics)
 NetLogo (modeling network dynamics)

20. girls’ school dormitory dining-table partners, 1st and 2nd choices
Ada
Cora
Louise
Jean
Helen
Martha
Alice
Robin
Marion
Lena
Maxine
Hazel Hilda
Frances
Eva
Edna Ruth
Adele
Jane
Anna
Mary
Betty
Ella
Ellen
Laura
Irene
A simple example in Gephi (Dining.gephi) :