Date: 7th Nov 2017, 4PM  
Venue: HAS CSS "Lendület" RECENS Research Group, Conference Room
Address: H-1097 Budapest Tóth Kálmán street 4. T. building 1st Floor, Room 40

Abstract:

Sharing Values Matters - The Role of Value Homophily in Asking for Advice Among Employees

In this paper we investigate what influences task advice and information seeking among employees. Beyond employee social network structure there is much to be researched in terms of what kind of relationships enable advice seeking and information flow. We use inferential social network analysis (Exponential Random Graph Models) to look into predictors of task advice among employees in a company. We show that perceived value homophily is a predictor of advice seeking, while real value similarity is not. Previous research has indicated that affective and cognitive trust matter when asking for advice or information from co-workers. Still, the role of shared values has not been extensively examined in this sense even though there is plethora of evidence indicating that (value) homophily predicts social tie formation. Our research adds to theories of organizational learning and knowledge dissemination within organizations.