"Research in the field of social cognition found that humans use schema for the storage and processing of network information. Schema use differs by gender and power, in theory because individuals differ in the schemas that apply to the network structures they are involved with. I analyze a survey dataset collected during the COVID-19 pandemic that asked respondents about how often they interacted with people, and organizations, as well as what forms of communication they used. In addition, a network recall survey experiment was conducted to measure their network recall accuracy. If schema are learned cognitive rules the brain uses to process information, then how an individual recalls a network should be shaped by ongoing opportunities to practice schemata. This effect should be moderated by the respondent’s level of social poverty with higher levels of social poverty (i.e., inadequate social integration) being associated with poorer recall accuracy. Results will uncover more about the role that practice plays in the formation of social schemata and will shape future understanding of the differences in individual network recall ability across categories. Furthermore, it will contribute to efforts to design more efficient, and effective, organizations."

Traditional social network research primarily focuses on network structure, content, and dynamic evolution, assuming the external institutional environment as a static factor. However, in practice, there is a close co-evolutionary relationship between institutional changes and organizational networks. Particularly within the dynamic regulatory environment of China, institutional changes tend to have a stronger influence on the dissolution of relationships than on their formation. To bridge this gap, this study explores the impact of institutional changes on organizational networks, with a particular focus on their vulnerability to shocks and the dissolution of various attributes of ties. Utilizing the China Ministry of Education policy in 2015 that limited the concurrent appointments of university-affiliated independent board directors as a policy shock, we examine how institutional changes affect the disruption of corporate independent director networks. Our findings indicate that firms with a higher proportion of state-owned shares experience more pronounced network disruptions, particularly in the reduction of network ties and structural hole positions. Additionally, we observe that the geographical distance of a firm from the policy epicenter inversely correlates with the strength of ownership-related effects on network disruption. While institutional isomorphism explains the general trend of tie dissolution, heterogeneity persists due to varying legitimacy pressures and differences in policy enforcement across organizations. This study also proposes an analytical framework to understand the effects of institutional changes on network disruption, where the formation, severance, and reconstruction of relationships represent a complete cycle of organizational network evolution, capturing the dynamic process from disembedding to re-embedding.

Research on status processes, which examines how social hierarchy is created and maintained based on uneven distributions of respect and esteem, often considers the role of interactional networks and affiliations in identifying and measuring status based on accumulated acts of deference. By focusing on deference relationships, a network analysis enables us to study status as a relational construct. However, urban sociologists have rarely engaged with these insights, despite the long-standing tradition that conceptualizes place as a social construct co-constituted through material and symbolic processes. We advance scholarship on neighborhood hierarchy by applying a network framework to conceptualize and quantify neighborhood status as accumulated acts of deference. To investigate neighborhood status through acts of deference, we draw on the case of Airbnb hosts and their use of neighborhood names to market their properties. Specifically, we analyze how Airbnb hosts use other neighborhood names in their listing descriptions – name-dropping – as an act of deference. We aggregate name-dropping behavior to the neighborhood level and create a valued name-dropping network for Chicago, Manhattan, and San Francisco. We argue that a neighborhood’s position in the name-dropping network will represent its symbolic status from accumulated acts of deference, reflecting prestige in the context of the rental housing and tourism market. Our innovative methodological approach demonstrates that neighborhood status is not solely determined by aggregated demographic indicators, such as class and race, but also consists of intersubjective recognition, which aligns with the relational nature of status.

This research examines the leadership succession of chief executive officers (CEO’s) in sport organisations through an application of social network theory. An extensive social network analysis of CEOs (n=13) was undertaken with Australian CEOs. Findings demonstrate both intraorganisational and interorganisational networks are valuable for potential CEO successors. Networks are perceived to be of benefit in the selection process while also helping CEOs perform effectively once in the role. Notably, the research found major differences in CEO networks are by gender, insider / outsider status, and type of national sport organisation (NSO) (professional or Olympic sport) they lead. This study demonstrated a connection between social networks and executive leadership career progression in sport management. Furthermore, this research makes a novel contribution by analysing personal networks data provided directly from CEOs and not from assumed affiliation networks.

By blending remote and in-office arrangements, hybrid work offers flexibility and autonomy but creates at the same time unique challenges for international employees, impacting on their social and psychological well-being. Through the lenses of Job Demand-Resource Theory and Paradox Theory, this study explores the paradoxical tensions faced by international creative professionals in hybrid work environments, as well as how these tensions can affect social relationships and organizational networks.

Our qualitative study draws on semi-structured interviews with 40 international academics in Swiss universities, a context characterized by employees’ high mobility and cultural diversity. Preliminary findings reveal challenges in building social resources, due to difficulties in maintaining relationships and integrating into host countries’ professional and cultural environments while working both at home and in the office. Participants report tensions, including valuing the flexibility of remote work while struggling with isolation and limited peer support, essential for creative performance and career growth.

This research helps to understand the nuanced impact of hybrid work on globally mobile creative professionals. It highlights the critical role of social networks in mitigating resource loss and addressing paradoxical tensions inherent to hybrid arrangements. By unpacking these tensions and identifying balanced approaches to employees’ flexibility, productivity, and integration, this study offers insights for organizations to support and value international creative employees in hybrid work settings. The findings further underscore the need for more structured, inclusive practices fostering meaningful connections and enhancing well-being among diverse, hybrid workforces.