Building Effective Networks

A distinguishing feature of the 21st century is the prevalence and pervasiveness of different types and forms of networks, whether digital, social, or organizational. The term network, both a noun and a verb, is one of the most widely used words in our everyday vocabulary. All of us are active participants in at least one form of network or another. In our professional lives, we spend most of our workdays in the organizations we are affiliated with and from which we derive our principal livelihood. Most of us are also members of professional associations, such as the Academy of Management that constitutes a forum for networking among researchers and practitioners who are dedicated to the advancement of knowledge and practice in the field of management. In our private lives, we have our own social network of families and friends based on blood ties, common interests, religious affiliation, and/or other acquired or ascribed attributes. This article seeks to examine the dominant forms and patterns of networks that have an important bearing on our societal, organizational, professional, and personal lives. It also attempts to identify salient issues pertaining to networks that merit research attention. SURGE IN NETWORK FORMATIONS