Investigating organizational learning through social network analysis: the case of a consultancy firm in India

Abstract

Three problems beset the literature on organizational learning—confusion about who learns (individuals, groups, or organization), absence of a robust theory, and tools for measurement. Social network analysis, it is argued, can be used to capture organizational learning at multiple levels, to capture relational data (expressed as linkages between actors), and can yield actionable insights for changes within the organization. Two subprocesses of organizational learning, information acquisition and distribution, were measured using social network analysis in a decade-old consultancy firm in India. Results reveal who shares information with whom, who goes to whom for information, who is bypassed, who hoards, how groups interact, and how much information is shared at the organizational level. The study provides a deeper understanding of how “people” relationships affect learning at various levels. The theoretical and managerial implications of the approach taken to measure organizational learning using social network analysis are discussed.