The first business companion to the world of network science; the idea that’s about to rewrite the rules of organisational behaviour. It will give you a framework for understanding and a capability for managing your invisible workplace.
"Maybe the underling by the water-cooler is your most valuable asset-How would you know?" Forbes.
"Network science is hot right now." The Times
“Network Science might well prove to be the next big buzz in management.”
The Bookseller
How and where do things really get done in your business? Who are your visionaries, back-stabbers and unsung heroes? Where do ideas start and initiatives really get stuck?
Real working knowledge lies in the relationships between employees. Your organizational chart will tell you about authority, but it doesn't always show how things get done, created or communicated. You know the rules, but you don't know the ropes. For that, you need a map to the network, the corresponding informal structure that is usually invisible. Networks generate innovations, refine processes, build or undermine values and support or frustrate strategies.
Companies around the world are beginning to learn that they can profit by analyzing these invisible networks, and understanding their impact. In The Quantum Theory of Trust, the World’s leading expert on network science, Karen Stephenson, introduces the analysis of networks to identify the personalities and patterns of organisations, and shows how to manage the personal currency that counts in good networks: trust. Trust is the x-factor in network life. Understand it. Map it. Manage it.
