Communication Network Evolution in Organizational Communities

Abstract

Organizational communities are typically defined as populations of organizations that are tied together by networks of communication and other relations in overlapping resource niches. Traditionally, evolutionary theorists and researchers have examined organizational populations that comprise organizational communities by focusing on their properties rather than on the networks that link them. However, a full understanding of the evolution of organizational communities requires insight into both organizations and their networks. Consequently, this article presents a variety of conceptual tools for applying evolutionary theory to organizations, organizational communities, and their networks, including the notions of relational carrying capacity and linkage fitness. It illustrates evolutionary principles, such as variation, selection, and retention, that lead to the formation, growth, maintenance, and eventual demise of communication and other network linkages. This perspective allows us to understand the ways in which community survival and success are as dependent on their communication linkages as they are on the organizations they connect. The article concludes with suggestions for potential applications of evolutionary theory to other areas of human communication.networks is used to demonstrate new conceptualizations that can be derived from an evolutionary perspective. These include a community ecology approach to organizational linkages, the concept of relational carrying capacity, and the variation, selection, and retention (V-S-R) of network links.Organizational communities are typically defined as ''a spatially or functionally bounded set of populations'' of organizations that are tied together by networks of communication and other relations in overlapping resource niches (Aldrich & Ruef, 2006, p. 240). Traditionally, evolutionary theorists and researchers have examined organizational populations that comprise organizational communities. This article extends the application of evolutionary theory to community and population communication networks. It focuses on evolutionary principles, including V-S-R, that lead to the formation, growth, maintenance, and eventual demise of network linkages. This perspective allows us to understand the ways in which community survival and success are as dependent on communication and other organizational linkages as they are on the organizations these linkages connect.Evolutionary theory has a number of advantages over more traditional approaches to the study of networks of organizations. First, the community ecology perspective examines the evolution of organizational populations and the communities in which they exist. This shifts attention away from single, individual organizations toward populations of organizations and their relations with other organizational entities (Aldrich, 1999). Second, community ecology explores the role of environmental resource niches and organizational adaptation, seeing these as fundamental driving forces in the maintenance of communitie...

Network Theory and Models

“…In addition, it is not uncommon to observe that existing nodes and edges are eliminated and dissolved over time, which in turn leads to the structural change of the network in different ways from those that the previous models predict. Especially when it is costly to maintain connections, so that the maximum number of edges that a node can carry is bounded (i.e., relational carrying capacity; Monge, Heiss, & Margolin, 2008), the formation of edges would be inevitably selective. Generally speaking, the addition of nodes and the formation of edges in a given network are subject to certain selection mechanisms, as the growth of species in a given environment is constrained by the pressure of natural selection.…”

Collaborative Performance as a Function of Network Members’ Perceptions of Success

“…For example, relations that involve the exchange of resources and knowledge among sectors are the norm and certainly the latest trend in successful social service models (Chen et al, 2012;Gulati & Singh, 1998;Isett & Provan, 2005;Kapucu, 2005;Mandell, 2001;Monge, Heiss, & Margolin, 2008;Westley & Vredenburg, 1997). Networks of community organizations working for a common purpose are thought to increase community capacity to meet social needs (Monge, Heiss, & Margolin, 2008;Parker & Selsky, 2004;Westley & Vredenburg, 1997). The benefits of interorganizational networks include (a) bringing diverse groups and resources together, and (b) addressing issues that no group can resolve by itself (Witte, Reinicke, & Benner, 2002).…”

Evolution of what? A network approach for the detection of evolutionary forces

“…Adding a new perspective to this longstanding debate, Monge, Heiss, and Margolin (2008) have suggested that it would be beneficial to switch focus from traits of types to their network properties as the basis for defining evolving populations: "Traditionally, evolutionary theorists and researchers have examined organizational populations that comprise organizational communities by focusing on their properties rather than on the networks that link them. However, a full understanding of the evolution of organizational communities requires insight into both organizations and their networks."…”