How You Say It Matters: The Role of Recognition and Advice Networks in Organizational Perceptions

The author discusses different types of instrumental networks experienced by employees in the workplace in seeking to better understand variation in employee organizational perceptions. Conceptualized as two different types of instrumental networks, advice networks are contrasted with recognition networks in predicting employee’s perception of innovative attitudes, collective responsibility, and organizational commitment. Survey results of instructional staff members of three New England charter middle schools suggest that, contrary to prior evidence, advice plays little role in predicting these three critical organizational perceptions. Rather, support is found for the significant association between recognition network out degree centrality and organizational commitment and collective responsibility, respectively. Implications of these findings for future avenues of network effects studies and work in the field of education are discussed and potential impacts for practitioners are considered.