Many studies have been conducted of different types of business networks in recent years. Despite this, there is a lack of research concerning industry-transcending formal networks which are limited to a specific region. We have conducted a case study of Örebro Promotion, which is an industry-transcending network including over 500 members. Örebro is a medium-sized city in the middle of Sweden. The purpose with our study is to create an understanding of why enterprises choose to be a part of the network and what they feel is the gain of their membership. This study is exploratory and should be viewed as the start of this much-needed field of research. The case study is based on observations of the activities of this network and others of similar character. We have interviewed a number of network facilitators, current members and members that have decided to leave the network during the last year. The study includes a literature review of general network research with a particular focus on research of different types of formal networks. Based on the literature review we have found seven factors that come as a result of being a member in a network. These factors are information/knowledge sharing, new business opportunities, a broadened network, regional development, lobbying, reduced costs and resource expenditure. Our study indicates that reduced costs, knowledge sharing and regional development cannot be viewed as important factors in Örebro Promotion. Instead our data shows that marketing and legitimacy are two factors that do have an impact. However, the most important factors for business enterprises in this type of networks differ depending on the characteristics of each enterprise. For small businesses new business opportunities was the single most important factor concerning why these actors choose to be members in this network. For larger enterprises lobbying, in the sense that Örebro Promotion creates an arena for meeting politicians, were seen as the most important factor. A broadened network was generally viewed as a reason for a membership. Concerning what the enterprises gain from their membership, information was something all respondents mentioned as the most concrete factor. The opportunity to market the company towards other businesses was also seen as an important factor. A majority felt that the membership in Örebro Promotion did not create new business opportunities to extent they were hoping for. Since our study is one of the first concerning this form of network, we believe that further research is needed. A start could be similar studies of networks with similar characteristics in Sweden. This would be important to find out if the factors that have been found to be important in Örebro Promotion could be applied to other networks.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / This dissertation explored the degree and distribution of social capital forms-social networks, volunteer associations, generalized trust, particularized trust and norms of reciprocity in rural Ethiopia. It aims to contribute to the academic understanding of social capital formation in Africa. Whereas the extent of literature focused on uncovering difference in the distribution of social capital at macro, meso and micro levels, this dissertation instead unpacks how political and economic conditions in rural Ethiopia shape the extent of the different forms of social capital at different levels.

The overarching focus of this research is to examine the role and effectiveness of formal network organizations in mitigating barriers to disaster relief. I address this larger focus by examining the impacts of one formal network organization, the Partnership for Quality Medical Donations (PQMD) on its twelve NGO members. Specifically, the study addressees the following questions: 1) How does PQMD function? 2) What effects has PQMD had on its NGO members' relationships with each other, especially in the context of disaster response efforts? The research design for this study uses a qualitative framework. The study includes a literature review, content analysis of PQMD's website, research from a previous study with the same organization, and new interviews with representatives from nine NGO members, as well as the executive director of PQMD. My findings indicate that PQMD has been able to successfully bring together 27 different organizations (private and nonprofit), and mitigate the barrier of lack of central authority and lack of trust, to discuss their concerns, learn from one another, learn about one other, and create relationships that lead to better communication and collaboration in humanitarian relief. Although PQMD is working on a much smaller scale, I argue that researchers can look at this formal network organization to better understand how to improve the coordination of humanitarian aid on a worldwide scale and can glean lessons from this group. / Master of Public and International Affairs

The underrepresentation of female executives is a well studied phenomenon, despite this awareness, the Swedish labor market continues to be characterized by segregation on its hierarchical positions, where females who aspire for executive roles, do not reach the same career advancement as males. When trying to find answers to female underrepresentation in executive roles, evidence points to a shortage of networks that are deemed appropriate for such career advancement. Using qualitative research, this study explores the perceived value of formal networks among female leaders in the tech industry and their influence on the career advancement of women, considering the challenges posed by male-dominated cultures and gender biases. The conclusion of this study acknowledges that the underrepresentation of women in executive positions may be attributed to a scarcity of informal networks, where homosocial behavior restricts female participation within such networks. The findings demonstrate that due to exclusion from the informal sphere, women actively engage in formal networks. Womens formal networks offer various psychosocial and instrumental advantages, and these benefits are interconnected and mutually reinforcing, ultimately promoting women's professional growth. The findings underscore the significance of comprehending the interplay between organizational culture, gender, and network dynamics to cultivate diverse and inclusive networks that enhance female representation and facilitate knowledge sharing.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / This dissertation explored the degree and distribution of social capital forms-social networks, volunteer associations, generalized trust, particularized trust and norms of reciprocity in rural Ethiopia. It aims to contribute to the academic understanding of social capital formation in Africa. Whereas the extent of literature focused on uncovering difference in the distribution of social capital at macro, meso and micro levels, this dissertation instead unpacks how political and economic conditions in rural Ethiopia shape the extent of the different forms of social capital at different levels. Aresi and Menze are selected for the case-study based on their representation of rural Ethiopia's ecological, language, and ethnicity, historical and religious diversity. A household survey (n = 735) was conducted to uncover the distribution of social capital forms at the individual, regional and aggregate levels. Eight focus group discussions and ten key informant interviews were conducted to unpack why the different forms of social capital unfold the way they do. The qualitative interviews were also used for validating the result of the household survey by uncovering how institutional and structural factors reconstituted and redefined at the local level and translated into social capital formation. The empirical result revealed that social networks and norms of reciprocity are the most important social capital apects in the study areas. At the same time, trust relations and formal networks (volunteer organizations) are the least important aspects of social capital. However, over time, community-organization has become an alternative venue where community members relate and support each other. Thus, network-based and community-based social capital are the principal social capital forms in the study areas. This result is largely inconsistent with the previous studies that have been conducted in developed and democratic countries which have asserted generalized trust and impersonal civic organizations as the major forms of social capital, rather than localized and interpersonal forms of social capital. The fact that different forms of social capital are present in different contexts with different levels of importance shows that forms of social capital do not necessarily articulate together. Moreover, the variation in the relative importance of social capital forms shows that the production of social capital is shaped by the prevailing political and economic conditions. Thus, this dissertation makes the case that it is necessary to distinguish among the different forms of social capital both in theory and practice.

Engagement in networking is described as a facilitator for an individual's career progression. Research has shown how men tend to benefit from informal networking, and difficulties appearing for women to penetrate these male informal networks. Formal networks have thereby arisen as a countermeasure, and more precisely, women-only-networks, which have been argued to serve as a means for women in their career. However, there is limited knowledge of the experienced role women-only-networks provide for female career progression. Through qualitative research with an inductive approach, top-position women in the financial industry were interviewed. The study’s results show how women-only-networks work as a facilitator for women's career progression, both through soft values such as providing women with a community of relatedness, as well as career enhancing resources such as recruitment possibilities. Further, the results display how women-only-networks serve a collective purpose for women as they facilitate change of existing gender structures in the industry. The overall conclusion is hence that women-only-networks have an equal worth in themselves for female career progression as mens’ informal networks have for male career progression.

The concept of formal networks is widely spread and appreciated as a way of building long-term relationships and creating value for the company. Value contains a number of different meanings and can therefore be valued differently by different people and businesses. This thesis focus on micro companies and how they create value through formal business networks. The thesis is all through divided into four different themes; networking, intentions, values and problems with formal networks. The themes are focusing on both aspects from theory and our seven respondents. The data collected through theories as well as interviews with members and former members has given a conclusion of what is most important while being in a formal network. The respondents had different views on what exactly they wanted to get out of being active in business networks. Overall we got a clear picture of the importance of goals, dedication, curiosity, loyalty, trust and preparation while attending a formal network.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2016-09-08T14:02:20Z No. of bitstreams: 1 iaramarquesdonascimento.pdf: 1878275 bytes, checksum: 03d9a85935e82490d257ad7a17cb5672 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-10-04T12:28:36Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 iaramarquesdonascimento.pdf: 1878275 bytes, checksum: 03d9a85935e82490d257ad7a17cb5672 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-10-04T12:28:44Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 iaramarquesdonascimento.pdf: 1878275 bytes, checksum: 03d9a85935e82490d257ad7a17cb5672 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-10-04T12:28:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 iaramarquesdonascimento.pdf: 1878275 bytes, checksum: 03d9a85935e82490d257ad7a17cb5672 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-03-25 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / A proposta da dissertação é compreender a importância da comunicação interna nos processos de construção e reconstrução de sentidos e significados adequados as necessidades das organizações, levando em consideração os objetivos estratégicos da mesma. Observa-se a pertinência da hipótese de que a comunicação interna é capaz de colocar em circulação e articular sentidos que fomentam a realidade organizacional. Este processo é observado a partir da percepção dos funcionários da Viação Progresso em relação à construção da identidade organizacional. Parte-se do pressuposto teórico de que os processos comunicacionais constituem-se por meio de relacionamentos e interações, sendo percebidos enquanto fenômenos simbólicos e discursivos. Neste sentido, trabalha-se com o interacionismo simbólico, o construtivismo e o pensamento complexo, e leva-se em conta elementos como participação e cultura organizacional para a articulação dos processos. No percurso, são destacadas as redes formais de comunicação, com as interações face a face, e as redes informais, com as redes sociais de comunicação informal, mais especificamente a rádio peão. Por meio das metodologias de análise de conteúdo e da utilização de pressupostos da análise de discurso e texto, busca-se compreender a percepção dos funcionários sobre a comunicação interna e elabora-se uma possibilidade de leitura da mesma enquanto processo relacional e discursivo. / The purpose of this dissertation is to understand the importance of internal communication in the processes of construction and reconstruction of meanings appropriate to the needs of organizations, taking into account the strategic objectives of same. It is observed the relevance of the hypothesis that internal communication is able to put into circulation and articulate meanings that promotes the organizational reality. This process is seen from the perception of employees Viação Progresso relating to the construction of organizational identity. It started from the theoretical assumption that communication processes are constituted through relationships and interactions, and perceived as symbolic and discursive phenomena. In this sense, it works with symbolic interactionism, constructivism and complex thought, and takes into account factors such as participation and organizational culture to articulate the processes. On the way, is highlighted the formal networks of communication, with face to face interactions, and informal networks, with social networks of informal communication, specifically the rádio peão. Through the methodologies of content analysis and use of assumptions of discourse analysis and text, seeks to understand the perception of employees on the internal communication and prepare a chance to read the same process as relational and discursive.