Research at
Gallaudet University
2005 - 2006

The Role of Informal Networks in Higher Education: The Tipping Point for a Line Officer's Success or Failure

Status: Completed Begin date: October, 2003 End date: October, 2005

Description

This study examined how communicating and networking in one institution of higher learning influenced the dynamics of organizational life at the institution. Other research has shown that successful organizations are characterized by overlap between the formal and informal structures of loosely-coupled networks. A review of the literature led to the hypothesis that organizational effectiveness can be enhanced by an open environment in which networking and communication among peers serves to develop a consensus concerning policies passed from the administration to the faculty. Results of the study demonstrated that networking at the university did indeed play a significant role in developing support for administrative policy.

Investigators