Presenta: Jessica Methot, Rutgers University (US)
Titulo: The Glue that Binds Multiplex Ties: A Chemical Bonds Perspective
Abstract: Workplace relationships are often multifaceted, comprising formal and informal interactions and exchanges, bridging work and nonwork boundaries, and evoking various thoughts and feelings. Thus, multiplex relationships—those characterized by the coexistence of two or more interaction elements—are prevalent, meaningful, and distinct from uniplex relationships in organizations. Yet, there is little consensus around their conceptualization and operationalization in the organizational sciences. We pose several questions to help unify this literature, theoretically and methodologically, including, “What types of interactions, exchanges, or social roles are meaningful to account for?” “How do we glue these combinations together to make methodologically robust multiplexity metrics?” and “How are emerging workplace trends affecting the content, quality, and dynamics of employee relationships, as well as the types of data scholars can access to study these relationships?” First, we synthesize the multiplexity literature by advocating for construct correspondence (or, the compatibility principle)—a theoretical perspective suggesting that to achieve predictive potential, constructs of interest should be conceptualized and measured at the same level of specificity and/or within the same conceptual category. Then, we draw from the literature on chemical compounds to propose that multiplexity can be “glued together” with combinations of relations that act as (1) a pure (“additive”) covalent bond, (2) a polar (“hybrid”) covalent bond, or (3) an ionic (“brittle”) bond. Last, we explore how new work trends—including remote work, the erosion of the scaffolding around work and nonwork boundaries, and algorithmic artificial intelligence—affect the prevalence, measurement, and analysis of multiplex networks.
Área: Management
