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

Game Modeling In Public Organizations With Network AnalysisKim, Dae JoongIntra‐Organizational Networks and Job PerformanceNetwork Theory, Network Analysis, Game Theory, Intra‐organizational Networks, Network Comparison, GameTHURS.PM1Even though there exist power or limited resource game situations in organizations (e.g., manager vs. workers, workers vs. worker, and team vs. team), thereare few studies about games in organizations. In addition, even if some managers or workers perceive a game situation, the game situation tends to beregarded simple; unlike their thinking, hidden, complex and dynamic games exist due to networks among them. In these respects, I try to apply both gametheory and network analysis to organizations management in both theoretical and practical perspective in my paper, based on case study. Specifically, in thenetwork‐game situation I would try to show how managers or workers seek for their rationality (opportunism) in organizations, but such individual rationality(opportunism) cannot be connected with one of the causes to organizational or group efficiency, called “collective irrationality or inaction.” For this study, Ifirst built some possible game models between an elective leader and power/resources‐seeking workers, and between power/resources‐seeking workers andnon‐power/resources‐seeking workers, especially when a new elective leader comes to the public organization. In other words, I mainly focused on the case ofwhat is called “succession situation or problem.” In my case, I found individuals seeking for opportunism in the organization in t‐1 time suffer from prisoner’sdilemma in their whole organization member networks in t time. For this analysis, I used such basic network techniques as visualization, centrality, and densityanalysis. This study have some implication as follows: in practical perspective, this study shows that game modeling with network analysis methodologies canbe more helpful for manager and organizational members to understand organizational structures among them than existing or classic game modelingapproaches alone. In methodological/theoretical perspective, this study shows network approach can usefully applied in explaining N‐person dynamic gameover time. This study can be applied in allocation their human resources in terms of networks, not personal attributes (or traits). In future, if interpersonalrelationships by team/department and among teams/departments need to be considered in this study, it will be more useful for managers to innovate orredesign their organizations successfully.