Work Teams: Diagnosis and Intervention with Social Network Analysis
摘要
Work teams are particularly important in organizations when tasks are highly complex, as they enhance the organization’s ability to solve problems and respond to demands in a timely and flexible manner. However, this form of work organization can also lead to undesirable consequences, such as excessive collaboration. The teaching case presented in this chapter situates the operational dynamics of the management team at Acolhe, a civil society organization (CSO) dedicated to safeguarding the rights of children and adolescents. At the moment the organization received significant funding, two key members of the management team requested to leave, citing the anticipated increase in workload. Accordingly, this chapter examines the use of Social Network Analysis (SNA) as a tool to diagnose relational structures, patterns of communication and collaboration, levels of cohesion, and the presence of influential actors, offering indicators to understand the team’s operational dynamics. These data, combined with information on the organizational context and team structure, support the diagnosis of the problems faced by the team and its members and help identify pathways for intervention. In the case analyzed, SNA revealed an excessive pattern of collaboration and communication flows both within and beyond the work team, contributing to prominent levels of overload and a decline in members’ engagement and well-being.