Open AccessBubbling Up the Good Ideas: A Two‐Mode Network Analysis of an Intra‐Organizational Idea Challenge
Author(s) -
Stephens Bryan,
Chen Wenhong,
Butler John Sibley
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of computer‐mediated communication
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.15
H-Index - 119
ISSN - 1083-6101
DOI - 10.1111/jcc4.12158
Subject(s) - homophily , popularity , crowdsourcing , corporation , selection (genetic algorithm) , mode (computer interface) , organizational structure , knowledge management , business , public relations , marketing , sociology , psychology , computer science , political science , management , social psychology , economics , world wide web , artificial intelligence , finance , operating system
Abstract Organizations have been experimenting with intraorganizational crowdsourcing ( IOC ), yet the mechanisms of IOC production remain an underresearched topic. Drawing on a 2‐mode ERGM , we examine structural mechanisms and individual‐level factors that shape the network structure of idea generation and selection yielded by an IOC idea challenge in a global IT corporation. Results show a Matthew effect leading to 1) highly centralized employee participation around a few “superactive” employees who engage with many ideas and 2) highly centralized idea popularity with a few ideas attracting most employee attention. We find support for shared affiliations among employee‐idea clusters in the first half of the participation, which is, however, less likely in the second half. We also find support for geographic homophily.