Consulting

In addition to my work at the university, I help organizations and employees improve their own social networks and foster innovation. I do this by looking at the organization’s social side.

We typically describe organizations by their formal structure: the positions, roles, and teams through which work is organized. Research shows that the informal network within an organization is just as important. Who do employees go to for advice? Who supports them when they come up with new initiatives? Who do they turn to when they want to influence an important decision? Who do they collaborate with?

The figure below shows the difference between the formal and the informal organization. The first image is the formal hierarchy, the second the informal network. It turns out that a person at the bottom of the formal organization (and who does not stand out) plays a central role in the informal network. This person is crucial for key processes such as innovation or strategic change, because they form the linking pin between the different departments.

Questions I can help you with

• Why do some employees find it easy to come up with new ideas, while others do not?
• Are there silos in your organization that keep knowledge, information, and expertise from spreading?
• Which employees quietly carry a large share of the collaboration, and what happens when one of them leaves?
• How can employees be trained to make better use of their networks?
• Does the informal network of an organization fit the formal structure, and how can it be improved?

From science to practice

It matters to me that my research also makes a difference in practice. I am only satisfied when organizations, employees, or entrepreneurs can learn something from it. One question is a recurring theme in my work: how is it possible that two people in the same role, with a similar network of contacts around them, still perform so differently? Why does one person know how to make use of their network while the other does not? And why do some organizations succeed at this better than others?

I founded the consultancy Alter Analytics not only to help organizations with these questions, but also to do better research myself. Working with organizations and entrepreneurs keeps me close to what is happening in practice. In return, I help organizations with methods and knowledge that are grounded in science.

How we can work together

Do you have a question about workplace social networks, corporate entrepreneurship, or innovation? I would be happy to schedule a free introductory conversation to see whether I can help. Through Alter Analytics, I also offer the following services:

• Lunch & Learn Session. An accessible introduction to the power of network analysis for you and your team, in 60 to 90 minutes, online or on site.
• Network Scan. A complete diagnosis of informal collaboration within your organization.
• Organizational Network Analysis. An in-depth and detailed analysis of informal collaboration within your organization, with a tailored advisory report.