Social networks and the performance of individuals and groups

A field study involving 190 employees in 38 work groups representing five d iverse organizations provided evidence that social networks, as defined in terms of both positive and negative relations, are related to both individu al and group performance. As hypothesized, individual job performance was p ositively related to centrality in advice networks and negatively related t o centrality in hindrance networks composed of relationships tending to thw art task behaviors. Hindrance network density was significantly and negativ ely related to group performance.