A Systematic Exploration of Theoretical, Conceptual, and Methodological Alignment of Social Network Analysis in Organizational Behavior

This systematic review examines how Social Network Analysis (SNA) is used in the study of Organizational Behavior (OB). Industrial-Organizational Psychology Literature suggests SNA tends to be applied using either a structural or relational approach (Erikson, 2013). Some researchers claim that this methodology is applied inconsistently due to the intermingling of two distinct underlying frameworks and the exclusion of individual differences and interpersonal factors limits the relevance of SNA (Erikson, 2013; Kilduff & Lee, 2020). Results indicate the structural perspective is slightly dominant across the use of SNA, but the use of both frameworks is increasing. Directionally, study methods aligned with the theoretical framework presented. The use of moderators and individual difference variables was common, although SNA metrics were used as sole predictors as frequently. More transparency about the alignment between theoretical support and methodological decisions is recommended.