Sunbelt XXXI International Network for Social Network ... - INSNA

Network Influence On Adolescent Alcohol Use: Relational, Positional, And Affiliation‐based Peer InfluenceFujimoto, Kayo ; Valente, Thomas W.Social Influence and SupportAdolescents, Youth Networks, Friendship Network, Peer InfluenceSAT.PM1Numerous network studies have been conducted to examine the role that peer influence plays on adolescent substance use. The majority of these studiesreport a significant association between close friends' substance use and an adolescent's use. However, network influence can range from immediatefriendships to those of more distant peer structures derived from occupying structurally equivalent positions in a friendship network, or from affiliationsformed through joint participation in organized activities at school. Such activities involve less one‐on‐one interaction, but may still involve more pronouncedinfluences from social norms and group dynamics. This study investigates the relative contribution of different network influences (relational, positional, andaffiliation‐based network influences) on adolescent's alcohol use, using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), whichconsists of a nationally representative sample of adolescents who were in Grades 7‐12 in the United States during 1994‐95. Using a network exposure model(E=Wy/Wi+), we computed three types of network exposures (E) using different weight W matrices to be multiplied by an alter’s alcohol use (y) to examinerelative contributions of individual network effects on adolescent alcohol use. This study also explores some methodological issues of simultaneously analyzingmultiple network effect on behavioral outcome.Network Predictors Of Turnover Amongst Knowledge WorkersGerbasi, Alexandra; Parker, Andrew; Cross, RobertOrganizations and NetworksOrganizations, Communication Networks, Affective Ties, Social Network Analysis, Dynamic NetworksSUN.AM2This project examines how the changing networks of co‐workers ties can help predict turnover in firms. Turnover is an important issue for organizations,especially when those employees that leave have technical and organizational specific knowledge that is not easily replaceable. Specifically, we explore howthe changing structure of the information and energy networks over time and the roles played by individuals within these networks relate to turnover. Thedata comes from a study of a global IT department within one of the world’s largest engineering consulting firms. Over an eight‐year period, the IT leadershipteam in conjunction with one of the authors conducted an annual SNA. Our findings indicate that individuals on the periphery of the information network andthose with the most de‐energizing ties are most likely to exit the organization. In terms of information centrality, these individuals were not always on theperiphery, however. Over time the people that left the firm moved from more central positions in the information network to the periphery, indicating theyare slowly detaching themselves from the organization. In addition, the leavers were not always de‐energizers, rather, they became less positive members ofthe network over time. This research seeks to expand the theoretical knowledge about turnover of knowledge workers as well as having practical implicationsfor HR Managers who we suggest could use SNA techniques to identify and re‐engage key knowledge workers prior to them exiting the organization.