Finding collaborative innovation networks through correlating performance with social network structure

Abstract

This paper contributes to the ongoing stream of research correlating social network structure with individual and organizational performance. While teaching a course on optimizing online communication behaviour and social network analysis, we collected preliminary data on the relationship between dynamic social network structures and individual and team performance. Students from Helsinki University of Technology and University of Cologne, who had never met face to face, formed virtual interdisciplinary teams collaborating on a common task, the communication analysis of online communities. As part of their task, students correlated performance of the community they were analysing with social network structure. In this research, we compare social network structure and individual and team performance of participants in a multi-user online computer game with social network structure and performance among the student teams. While among computer gamers the number of communication links predicts performance, a balanced contribution index predicts performance of the student knowledge worker teams. We also give general recommendations for efficient virtual communication behaviour.