UMA NOVA DANÇA DAS CADEIRAS: COMO A FORMALIDADE E INFORMALIDADE DA REDE MUDAM A POSIÇÃO DOS ATORES CENTRAIS EM REDES INTRAORGANIZACIONAIS

Abstract

In this work we identify as formality and informality of the network changes the position of the central actors in an intra-organizational network. Formality in our study ranges from the need for formal approval among members of the top management team of the company to communications related to the work among all employees of the organization. We conduct empirical research in a group of employees belonging to a company in the sector of training and development of human resources, this company has more than 50 years and 106 employees. It has offices in Sao Paulo, Brasilia, Porto Alegre and Rio de Janeiro. Based on questionnaires we build four networks of the studied company. By analyzing these networks we realized that central actors changed according to the degree of formality of the network, though this does not happen so sensitively in relation to its format and peripheral actors. Thus, our work has contributed to the theory by showing the possibilities that open to managers to analyze the informal networks and, on the other hand, allows employees occupying the shallower positions in the company hierarchy to gain space to occupy the center informal network.

Keywords

• Intra-organizational network. Network center and periphery. Formal networks. Informal networks.