Abstract:

An organizational structure consists of a network where employees are connected by working and social ties. Analyzing this network, one

can discover valuable insights into information flow within the organization. We develop this idea and propose a simple network model that

is consistent with management theory, and that captures main traits of large corporations. Using a centrality-based definition of power,

we are able to identify important individuals in the network. Our model provides novel insights into a range of organizational properties.

(1) Organizations have limited hierarchy height. (2) Flattening, the process when a business changes from a tall to a flat hierarchy by

delayering, is intimately related to changes in the power of employees. (3) Informal relations significantly impact power of individuals.

(4) Leadership styles could be reflected and analyzed through understanding weights on the ties in an organizational network.

BIO:

Jiamou Liu is a Lecture at the Department of Computer Science of The University of Auckland in New Zealand. His main research activities

involve exploring the algorithmic and mathematical aspects of social networks; topics of interests include interpersonal ties, influence,

communities structures, information diffusion and social cohesion. He is also interested in pure and applied aspects of logic, algorithmic

model theory, computational complexity and automata theory.