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Global Executive MBA 2007 Alumni Launch Keyhubs.com – A Simple, Online Tool for Mapping Informal Networks

When Vikas Narula '07(Global Executive MBA) learned about the power of informal networks in Jack Soll’s Managerial Effectiveness class, he couldn’t wait to apply it in his organization.  So he read numerous articles in Harvard Business Review, Fortune and Business Week  to learn how other company leaders used the merits of mapping informal networks to identify key knowledge, social and trust hubs.  Vikas found that other executives were using this managerial tool to more intelligently reorganize, acquire, integrate and manage individuals and/or teams.

“Jack’s class and other published material confirmed a phenomenon I had observed in my own career—most work gets done through strong social connections, usually independent of the formal org chart.  Given this belief, I was anxious to see and leverage the hidden networks in my company,” he said.

When Vikas approached Jack on how to go about doing this easily and cost-effectively, he quickly learned there was not much available.  Consulting firms typically charge large fees for this service and commercially available software was cumbersome and/or designed more for research purposes than for operating executives/managers.

Vikas decided to team up with fellow Global Executive MBA classmate Ron Dees '07 to develop a simple online tool that allows managers to quickly and easily map informal networks in their organization; be it a department or an entire company.  Keyhubs provides users with pre-determined questions for mining these informal networks; yet, it is easily tailored to accommodate unique survey questions.  They launched www.keyhubs.com in June 2008 and invite all Fuqua alumni to check out the site.  Give the application a try, and let Vikas (vnarula@keyhubs.com) or Ron (rdees@keyhubs.com) know what you think of the tool.
  
Here is an example where the informal Keyhub chart reveals the importance of a manager relatively low in the formal hierarchy.  He is very central to the communication and trust networks (via four incoming connections, including one from the CEO), thus the larger node size.  This manager is a Keyhub in the company—something the formal org chart does not expose.

Below are network maps which illustrate a few of the social relationships for the Global Executive MBA 2007 class six months post graduation.  The questions used were customized and the survey was sent to the entire class via e-mail.  The following network maps were then created by the Keyhubs application and they were immediately viewable online by the survey originator.

Global Executive MBA 2007 Friend Network

It has been six months since graduation. Who are you still in close contact with? Who do you consider a good friend?

Nodes on the periphery mostly represent the folks who have not taken the survey and/or have two or less incoming connections.  The blue double arrow represents a mutual/tighter connection (i.e. both consider each other their friend).  ‘1324’ is ‘Other Duke Alumni’.

Global Executive MBA 2007 Friend Network (Mutual Connections Only)

It has been six months since graduation. Who are you still in close contact with? Who do you consider a good friend?

Displaying just the mutual connections, we get a clearer picture of our class’ social dynamics.  There is a tight network between several nodes (1263, 1309, 1280, 1304, 1266, 1305), and it does not come as a big surprise that these individuals all hail from the same country in Europe.  The Keyhub (1263) in the network is a true citizen of the world and has forged strong connections with classmates from all continents (1323, 1298, 1300, etc.).

The 1304<-->1271 and 1300<-->1262 connections serve as “key-bridges” to a somewhat separate mutual network of friends.  Without those “bridges,” everyone connected (directly or indirectly) to Keyhubs 1271 and 1262 would be “severed” from the European-dominated network.

New Business Ventures

Who have you teamed up with to pursue business opportunities?

The New Business Ventures network is understandably not as extensive as our Friendship network; nevertheless, it appears that their time together has set the stage for longer-term business partnerships.

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