Understanding communication networks: a key to productivity and performance

Many wood-based materials manufacturers are utilizing work teams to increase productivity and meet today's myriad of competitive challenges. Work teams provide many advantages, yet have proven difficult to manage effectively. Dependent on the physical, human, and social capital, team performance is influenced by the social networks inherent among groups of employees. Using social network analysis, two case studies are analyzed to examine the impact and importance of social networks at two wood production facilities. The first case study illustrates the power that one employee gained through his communications network at a facility challenged by a multi-lingual work force. The second study used a social network analysis to investigate the lack of communications from union representatives to their members during a labor dispute. Several strategies for building and maintaining social networks are then discussed.