Idea adaption,social interactions and small world networks: An Australian study

Abstract

Organizations need a capacity to adapt new ideas and therefore require the means to visualize them. Idea adaptation is understood to be a social interaction process. This idea of adaption capacity might therefore be understood and managed by visualizing it using small world theory. This paper will explain how and why small world visualization can be used to represent idea adaption capability. The small world structure is preferred because it represents loose coupling and distinguishes the need for both discipline-specific knowledge (strong ties) and interaction with alternative ideas (structural holes, weak ties). Furthermore, it appears to be the evolved preferred natural networking structure for idea sharing. An illustration of how the small world structure might be visualized is provided by mapping the idea adapting networks of two loosely coupled organizations.