Untangling The Roots Of Organizational Structure Through Network Analysis
Abstract
Social network analysis (SNA) serves as a valuable tool when modeling complex, abstract interactions amongst business groups, criminal organizations, and terror networks, by exploiting spatial, relational, and temporal data to provide a tangible representation of organizational structure and interaction. By refocusing SNA on Air Force Special Operations (AFSOC) organizations, this tool will provide leaders with the ability to visualize their organization's underlying interactions, work flow, and deficiencies and enable them to leverage scale and expertise to develop a more effective organization. Already utilized in the corporate sector, SNA proved useful in identifying the need to develop efficiently integrated working groups within companies to increase their efficiency. By conducting an online survey and calling upon organizational design theories, this thesis will evaluate the underlying organizational network of a military organization modeled after operations groups within AFSOC that control several war-fighting units that support and conduct varying global air missions in support of special operations. This analysis provides actionable insights for organizational leadership to potentially produce measurable impacts and find opportunities to better align their organizations structure for more effective communication.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2019
- Accession Number
- AD1080240
Entities
People
- Philip N. Jr Garito
- Robert A. Davidson
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School