Advances to network analysis theories and methods for the understanding of formal and emergent structures in interpersonal, corporate/organizational, and hazards response setting

Dinh, Ly

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/116046 Copy

Description

Title

Advances to network analysis theories and methods for the understanding of formal and emergent structures in interpersonal, corporate/organizational, and hazards response setting

Author(s)

Dinh, Ly

Issue Date

2022-07-07

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Diesner, Jana

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Diesner, Jana

Committee Member(s)

• Althaus, Scott
• Darch, Peter
• Palen, Leysia

Department of Study

Information Sciences

Discipline

Information Sciences

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

• Network analysis
• Computational social science
• Text analysis
• Structural balance
• Organizational communication
• Crisis informatics

Abstract

Network analysis provides valuable theoretical and methodological approaches to investigate complex systems of social-technical relations. Network analysis has been applied to many different social science research contexts to understand the mechanisms by which individuals and groups form, sustain, adapt, and dissolve relationships. Furthermore, extant literature finds that networks of social organizing often comprise of structures that are formally specified (i.e., formal) as well as created informally from unplanned interactions (i.e., emergent). This dissertation builds upon prior literature in network science theories and methods to examine formal and emergent structures of organizing in specific social contexts, i.e., (1) interpersonal, (2) corporate/organizational communication, and (3) hazards response settings. Within the context of interpersonal interactions, we examine the emergent structures of communication in twelve empirical networks based on the tenets of structural balance theory for signed and directed networks. We find evidence in support of structural balance as the overall balance is higher than imbalance, suggesting that individuals and groups prefer minimal tension in their interpersonal connections. Within the context of corporate/organizational communication, we show that emergent communication structures exist alongside formal structures as organizational members interact and maintain balance with others outside of their formally-assigned groups. Studying a scientific organization, which we model as a multilevel network, we find that both an individual’s formal role as well as their informal communication network influence the likelihood of them forming interdisciplinary ties with others. Within the context of hazards response, we empirically validate the formalized and informal networks of response collaborations during four major U.S.-based hurricanes. We find that a number of collaborative relationships take place between organization who are not officially assigned to work together. In the context of biological hazards, i.e., COVID, we examine the structural mechanisms for sharing and communicating information about a hazard on social media. We find differences in the expected diffusion structure based on classic epidemic model versus actual diffusion patterns observed in online social network. Overall, this dissertation contributes advances to theories, methods and applied analyses of real-world, socio-technical networks, with a focus on discovering emergent network patterns and how they relate to formal (or expected) structures. The research designs and findings documented in this dissertation can provide a framework for network-based studies that aim to examine the mechanisms involved in the formation, quality, and sustenance of ties in different contexts of social interactions.

Graduation Semester

2022-08

Type of Resource

Thesis

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2022 Ly Dinh

Owning Collections