UNIVERSIDAD AUTÓNOMA DE YUCATÁN

FACULTAD DE ECONOMÍA
ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE & LEADERSHIP
L.C.I. JOSUE OMAR VERDEJA DORANTES, M.P.A.D.O.
Exercises about networks

CASE STUDY EXERCISE: ANALYZING NETWORKS IN "TECHGENIX CORP."

TechGenix Corp., a technology firm specializing in cloud computing solutions, recently expanded its
operations. With an employee count of 500, the organizational complexity has increased. There is
a necessity to understand the informal communication network within the company to optimize
information flow, collaboration, and innovation.

The senior management wants to conduct a network analysis to improve various facets of the
organization, from teamwork to knowledge sharing. An internal survey was done to understand
who collaborates with whom, how frequently, and for what purpose.

Your task is to fill in the gaps in this case study with the appropriate network terminologies. Use
the provided terms: Degree Centrality, Closeness Centrality, Betweenness Centrality, Ego Network,
Scale-Free Networks, Clustering Coefficient, Network Diameter, Social Capital, Network Evolution,
Network Closure, Brokerage, Homophily, Heterophily, Reciprocity, Transitivity, Network Fragility, Tie
Strength, Network Resilience, and Structural Holes.

Please fill in the gaps with the appropriate terminologies provided to complete the case study
analysis. Your responses will demonstrate your understanding of network analysis concepts and
how they can be applied to real-world organizational challenges.

1. ___________: A few key employees, like Emma, have a disproportionate number of

connections, while the rest have only a few connections.
2. ___________: The maximum number of steps required to connect any two employees in the
network is seven.
3. ___________: Jane, a senior project manager, doesn't have many direct connections, but she
often serves as a connecting point between different departments.
4. ___________: The R&D department has frequent and tight-knit collaborations amongst its
members.
5. ___________: In contrast, the marketing department has multiple people who can take over
responsibilities, making it less susceptible to disruptions.
6. ___________: Emma, a software developer, has direct connections with 20 colleagues for
various project collaborations. No one else has as many direct connections as Emma.
7. ___________: The triadic relationship among Emma, Mark, and Jane indicates that if Emma
and Mark are connected, it’s likely that Mark and Jane are connected too, strengthening the
network.
8. ___________: Sarah, a mid-level manager, has a network comprising only of people from her
own department. This limits her exposure to different kinds of information and resources.
9. ___________: The connection between Emma and her project teammate Mark is incredibly
strong. They frequently collaborate, share information, and rely on each other for problem-
solving.
10. ___________: The development team's interactions are almost exclusively within their team,
providing limited access to external information but fostering a sense of close-knit community.
 UNIVERSIDAD AUTÓNOMA DE YUCATÁN
FACULTAD DE ECONOMÍA
ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE & LEADERSHIP
L.C.I. JOSUE OMAR VERDEJA DORANTES, M.P.A.D.O.
Exercises about networks

11. ___________: Over the last two quarters, more cross-departmental teams were created, and
the network has significantly evolved to become more interconnected.
12. ___________: Henry, from human resources, can reach any person in the organization with the
shortest path. This makes him very accessible.
13. ___________: There's a lack of communication between the sales and the tech departments.
This lack creates empty spaces in the network where information could have flowed.
14. ___________: If Emma were to leave the company, her absence would create a substantial
impact as many rely on her for various projects and information flow.
15. ___________: Alice and Bob reciprocate in their information sharing and assist each other
often, creating a mutual relationship.

CASE STUDY: NETWORK ANALYSIS AT HEALTHIFY SOLUTIONS

Healthify Solutions is a healthcare technology startup with a staff of around 100 employees. The
firm specializes in electronic health records and telemedicine solutions. Due to rapid growth and
diversification, communication gaps and bottlenecks have emerged within the organization.
Management is keen to conduct a network analysis to understand the existing workflow, team
dynamics, and information flow.

• Susan, the CEO, finds that she is directly in touch with only the senior management team but
has indirect influence over most of the employees in the company.
• Mike, a software engineer, is the only person who interacts regularly with all departments,
making him a focal point in cross-departmental collaborations.
• A small circle of five employees in the R&D department seem to work closely with each other
and rarely interact with others in the organization.
• It is noticed that any two employees in the company can be connected through at most six
others.
• Emily, in Sales, has a wide variety of connections across different teams but lacks strong
connections within her own team.
• During company meetups, employees from the same department tend to stick together, not
mingling much with members from other departments.
• Despite having a well-established technical team, the company struggles whenever a key
technical lead is on vacation or leaves.
• There are visible gaps in communication between the Customer Service team and the
Development team, which often results in delayed problem resolution for clients.

Q1. What term best describes Susan's network position?

A) Degree Centrality

B) Closeness Centrality

C) Betweenness Centrality
 UNIVERSIDAD AUTÓNOMA DE YUCATÁN
FACULTAD DE ECONOMÍA
ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE & LEADERSHIP
L.C.I. JOSUE OMAR VERDEJA DORANTES, M.P.A.D.O.
Exercises about networks

D) Ego Network

Q2. What term best describes Mike's role in the organization?

A) Ego Network

B) Closeness Centrality

C) Social Capital

D) Brokerage

Q3. What concept does the small circle of employees in the R&D department best illustrate?

A) Network Closure

B) Network Fragility

C) Homophily

D) Scale-Free Networks

Q4. What term is most suitable to describe the “six degrees of separation” within the company?

A) Network Diameter

B) Scale-Free Networks

C) Network Resilience

D) Transitivity

Q5. What term best describes Emily’s network?

A) Homophily

B) Heterophily

C) Ego Network

D) Structural Holes

Q6. Which term best describes the tendency of employees to stick together during company
meetups?

A) Reciprocity

B) Homophily

C) Network Evolution

D) Social Capital