Networks and networking are essential concepts that transform organizational, economic, and social practices. Human capital is both a source of competitive advantage and a value that allows individual employees to develop their careers and find satisfaction in their employment. The book addresses the vital issue of changes occurring in management and employment, with the growing career individualization, focus on future professional challenges, importance of knowledge workers, and possibilities of functioning in social and organizational networks. Workers’ networking competence is the main theme of this book. Much attention is put on differentiating it from other types of competence and other network objects, and identifying its behavioral manifestations, as the frequency of such behaviors can be used as a measure of an individual’s networking competence level. Employment-related variables and characteristics that affect networking competence are analyzed in depth, as is the impact of networking competence on career success and employability — thus laying a foundation for transformation in network organization management, employee relations, and individual career development. It will be of interest to researchers and students alike, as it clearly demonstrates a way to solve research problems in management science and provides new instruments for further research on networks and networking; and to organization managers and employees, as it offers insights into management and employment-related trends as well as guidelines for managing network organizations and building one’s career within social and organizational networks.
"Networks and networking are essential concepts that transform organizational, economic, and social practices. Human capital is both a source of competitive advantage and a value that allows individual employees to develop their careers and find satisfaction in their employment. The book addresses the vital issue of changes occurring in management and employment, with the growing career individualization, focus on future professional challenges, importance of knowledge workers, and possibilities of functioning in social and organizational networks. Workers' networking competence is the main theme of this book. Much attention is put on differentiating it from other types of competence and other network objects, and identifying its behavioral manifestations, as the frequency of such behaviors can be used as a measure of an individual's networking competence level. Employment-related variables and characteristics that affect networking competence are analyzed in depth, as is the impact of networking competence on career success and employability - thus laying a foundation for transformation in network organization management, employee relations, and individual career development. It will be of interest to researchers and students alike, as it clearly demonstrates a way to solve research problems in management science and provides new instruments for further research on networks and networking; and to organization managers and employees, as it offers insights into management and employment-related trends as well as guidelines for managing network organizations and building one's career within social and organizational networks"--
Organizations are complex social systems that are not easy to understand, yet they must be managed if a company is to succeed. This book explains networks and how managers and organizations can navigate them to produce successful strategic innovation outcomes. Although managers are increasingly aware of the importance of social relations for the inner-workings of the organization, they often lack insights and tools to analyze, influence or even create these networks. This book draws on insights from social network theory; insights sharpened by research in a number of different empirical settings including production, engineering, financial services, consulting, food processing, and R&D/hi-tech organizations and alternates between offering critical real business examples and more rigorous analysis. This concise book is vital reading for students of business and management as well as managers and executives.
Job search is and always has been an integral part of people's working lives. Whether one is brand new to the labor market or considered a mature, experienced worker, job seekers are regularly met with new challenges in a variety of organizational settings. Edited by Ute-Christine Klehe and Edwin A.J. van Hooft, The Oxford Handbook of Job Loss and Job Search provides readers with one of the first comprehensive overviews of the latest research and empirical knowledge in the areas of job loss and job search. Multidisciplinary in nature, Klehe, van Hooft, and their contributing authors offer fascinating insight into the diverse theoretical and methodological perspectives from which job loss and job search have been studied, such as psychology, sociology, labor studies, and economics. Discussing the antecedents and consequences of job loss, as well as outside circumstances that may necessitate a more rigorous job hunt, this Handbook presents in-depth and up-to-date knowledge on the methods and processes of this important time in one's life. Further, it examines the unique circumstances faced by different populations during their job search, such as those working job-to-job, the unemployed, mature job seekers, international job seekers, and temporary employed workers. Job loss and unemployment are among the worst stressors individuals can encounter during their lifetimes. As a result, this Handbook concludes with a discussion of the various types of interventions developed to aid the unemployed. Further, it offers readers important insights and identifies best practices for both scholars and practitioners working in the areas of job loss, unemployment, career transitions, outplacement, and job search.
Knowledge Networks describes the role of networks in the knowledge economy, explains network structures and behaviors, walks the reader through the design and setup of knowledge network analyses, and offers a step by step methodology for conducting a knowledge network analysis.
A research agenda for collaborative networks Purpose. Many practical application experiments and pilot cases nowadays provide evidence on what works and what still remains as a challenge for collaborative networked organizations (CNOs). The fast evolution of the information and communication technologies and in particular the so-called Internet technologies, also represents an important motivator for the emergence of new forms of collaboration. However, most efforts in this area are highly fragmented, considering only some partial facets and not a holistic perspective that would be required. We are therefore at a point in which it is necessary to define much more consolidated and sustainable research strategies for a second phase of research and development in this area. This book addresses the main disciplines involved in CNOs. It further synthesizes the views and opinions expressed by a large number of visionaries from the main disciplines involved in CNOs, and offers a comprehensive set of recommendations for the establishment of a research agenda on collaborative networks. As recognized experts in their specific areas, different authors in this book have presented work that is backed by a large number of research results, each focusing on specific facets of collaborative networks, and coming out of a large number of international and national projects.
Digital networking technologies are empowering organizations to form dynamic networks, generating exceptional or ‘smart’ results. These Smart Business Networks (SBNs) enable individual organizations to compete more effectively and to respond better to a changing world. This idea attracted a diverse group of academic scholars and business professionals to Beijing from May 19-23, 2008, hosted by Tsinghua University. They discovered new ways to manage network resources, operate business processes across a network, create a business operations platform, understand the importance of network position and the smart mastering of technology. Effective managers, they concluded, must have a firm understanding of these fundamental network concepts in order to orchestrate the networks of the future. This book presents the results of an intense and energizing event which resulted in new theoretical foundations and practical insights.
The inspiration for this monograph is the progress in information and IT technologies observed over several decades and the accompanying development of digital competences. The collected results of the research work are grouped into three distinct chapters, which, at the same time, have a common denominator in research perspectives. Network-based economy, innovation-based economy, and competence-based economy are primarily analyzed in relation to technological changes in the ICT area. Each of these perspectives ultimately leads towards Economy 4.0 due to the progressing digital revolution, called the fourth industrial revolution. The contemporary importance of networks, innovations and managerial competences in the economy is analyzed primarily in connection with technological progress. The issue of networks in economic life has been developing for over 30 years. The role of the network in achieving a competitive advantage is unquestioned, while research issues are still being developed. This technological perspective is the most important context for network research today. Contemporary business models are developed based on a skillfully built inter-organizational network and a consciously used intra-organizational network. This applies to both commercial organizations and public entities. These issues are reflected in articles contained in this monograph, in particular in the first chapter. Various research conducted in organizations proves the increasing awareness of the importance of social life by managers and leaders, as well as the increase in the ability to build networks using information and ICT. Research on networks, which allows an understanding of the phenomenon of network formation, leads to the creation of methods and tools supporting network management. Modern network researchers, especially in the field of management sciences, point out that understanding the nature of the network and the possibilities of interacting with the network will determine the competitive position of the organization. This awareness and the complexity of the network are a constant motivation to develop knowledge and use its application character. The concept of an innovation-based economy is included in the second chapter and is also related to technological progress in the field of communication. The studies presented relate to the degree of innovation, skillful differentiation of innovation and imitation, the effectiveness of project financing, and the implementation of innovation. An important contribution to building knowledge on innovation comes from research conducted in individual sectors or regions, where a new, important perspective is gained, and specific, sometimes unique determinants of creating innovation are pointed out. References to regional and sectoral conditions can be found in individual subchapters. The research conclusions drawn have a cognitive and practical value for both researchers and management practitioners. In the third chapter of the monograph, studies that make an important contribution to building or verifying knowledge about the competence-based economy are grouped together. The research refers to the most important management problems and barriers to the development of organizations related to employees’ competences. Reference was made to many research currents in management, e.g. to empower employees, build the image of the employer, and the concept of sustainable development. Due to their long history of development, they would seem to be running out, while researchers prove that in contemporary commercial and non-commercial organizations deficits in managerial competencies are still identified. This applies to both human management and technical competences, especially digital. Therefore, research indicating the reasons for a lack of competence, in an era of strong popularization of these issues, seems to be interesting. The purpose of this monograph was to present current research results and their importance in developing knowledge about the economy based on networks, innovations, and competences. A lot of research was conducted from the perspective of changes in technological progress and the challenges of Economy 4.0. The new possibilities brought by the digital revolution in the field of building and managing networks and developing network-based business models cannot be underestimated. It should be expected that future innovations will be developed mainly thanks to digital progress and will be determined by the digital competences of managers and leaders. Modern research also shows that new generations of employees will compete primarily in the use of modern technological solutions such as data acquisition and processing, analyzes and simulations on large data sets (big data, science data), automation and robotization of production processes, software integration, cloud solutions, and especially the increasingly comprehensive use of the Internet. The importance of scientific research for learning about future phenomena, understanding and taming the future is invaluable. The authors and editors of the book express the hope that the research results presented in it will become an inspiration for new scientific explorations and the implementation of changes in organizations and economics.
The ability to discover and respond to societal needs in the field of culture requires an integrated, interdisciplinary, and cross-sectoral approach. Such a holistic view is offered by the design thinking method, which has been extracted from the field of design and could be applied also in the sphere of culture. Interdisciplinarity and consideration of users' needs are characteristics of contemporary design and can be a significant support when faced with the challenges of cultural heritage management. The abovementioned factors act as the premise behind undertaking an analysis of the possibility of adapting the design thinking method to the management of intangible cultural heritage, and to develop a model of the design thinking process for this area. This research volume is the first comprehensive study of the application of the design thinking method to cultural management, especially management of the intangible cultural heritage. It asserts that design thinking can bring numerous benefits to organizations involved in the management of intangible cultural heritage and to its depositories. It will be of interest to researchers and academics in the fields of public and nonprofit management, strategic management, and value creation in the field of culture; students of design for culture and heritage; and practitioners in cultural management.
This monograph presents the experience in the implementation of smart specialization strategies (S3) from multilevel policy governance, as well as from the bottom-up perspectives of firms, clusters, and networks in selected European countries. The presented research focuses on relevance and feasibility of the S3 adoption, emphasizing the importance of linking policy considerations with partnerships at lower governance levels. The major contribution of the presented research rests in theoretical implications and practical recommendations relevant for the implementation of regional S3 in the European context, with the possibility of place-based adoption in other environments. The book is also valuable for synthesizing the most recent advancements in smart specialization as a policy concept and the concept of transformation and growth for territorial units and economic entities. This book aims to further diffuse and expand the academic community’s learning of the new S3 approach in Europe and beyond. The book will be of interest and useful to the academic community of researchers and doctoral students focused on regional innovation development and related policy, as well as on entrepreneurship, networks, and clusters. Public sector professionals dealing with regional development, regional innovation policies, and industrial transformation will also benefit from its content.
