Whole Network Analysis (WNA)
Whole Network Analysis | Network Encyclopedia
What is Whole Network Analysis?
Whole network analysis is one of the two main types of social network analysis. Its unit of analysis is the whole network, defined as all entities within the pre-defined network boundaries (like membership in a group or club) and all of their interconnections. This is in contrast to ego network analysis, where the unit of analysis is the network of all entities connected to one specific individual, from their perspective. Whole network analysis provides a bird's eye view of the overall network of relationships, but is often harder to do because you need to survey each member of the network compared to just one for ego network analysis.
Types of Whole Network Analysis
One of the main distinctions in WNA involves the network member selection question used for generating the list of network members for survey respondents. Both method has is strengths and weaknesses:
- Bounded List: In a bounded list survey, respondents are shown a pre-defined list of network members and asked to select those they have a relationship with.
- Name Generator: In a name generator survey, respondents are prompted to list the members of their network and write each name without choosing from a list.
On the one hand, a bounded list limits a respondent's options and may miss informal or hidden ties or relationships within the network that matter. However, it is the easiest way to do a whole network analysis as it is easy to match up each respondent's relational data given the sole list of options. A name generator list captures a more complete picture of the network but creates discrepancies between responses in spelling or grammar that must be cleaned. This process is time-consuming and is often not worth the additional insight gained when considering the resources required.
Applications
Whole Network Analysis is used in a variety of different applications, industries, and use cases. Here are several different examples.
- Organizational Network Analysis: PARTNER CPRM uses WNA to map community coalitions, alliances, and other networks of partners to strategize and build more effective collaborative structures.
- People Analytics and HR: Many businesses are using WNA to map their informal employee networks so they can tap into these relationships and leverage them for culture change and strategy.
- Business Ecosystem: Private sector companies who sell products on the growing number of digital ecosystems find value by mapping the entire network of organizations and identifying gaps or areas for improvement.
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