Social Network Theory in Project Management: A Bibliometric Analysis

Yıl 2023, Cilt: 7 Sayı: 2, 63 - 82, 30.09.2023

Mustafa Hafizoglu , Şule Tuzlukaya

Öz

Purpose: This study employs a bibliometric analysis of project management literature from 2001 to 2022 to investigate the use of social network theory in project management. The main goal is not only to present the current state of the social network theory usage in project management but also to explore emerging trends of this new field in project management.
Methodology: Bibliometric analysis is used by focusing on related articles between the years 2001-2022 in the Web of Science database to investigate the state and evolution of social network theory in project management. Cluster analysis which is a powerful tool employed in SNA (Social Network Analysis) is utilized for the grouping of items based on similarities or distances between them.
Findings: The study revealed that although the Social Network Theory (SNT) approach in project management is gaining popularity, its implementation remains limited. The literature primarily focused on specific project types, such as construction projects, while neglecting others that involve multiple stakeholders and relationships, such as innovation, R&D, IT, space, and agricultural projects. Moreover, the study identified that SNT is predominantly used in three knowledge areas, namely, risk management, stakeholder management, and knowledge management.
Implications: Understanding the SNT approach in project management can help project managers create more effective teams, improve stakeholder engagement, foster collaboration and innovation, and mitigate project risks.
Limitations: This study is limited to Web of Science database. Future research may extend our efforts by digging into more databases.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Social network theory, project management, bibliometric analysis, relationship patterns, research trends

Proje Yönetiminde Sosyal Ağdüzenekleri Kuramı: Bibliyometrik bir Analiz

Öz

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın temel amacı proje yönetiminde sosyal ağdüzenekleri kuramının kullanımının mevcut durumunu sunmak ve proje yönetiminde bu yeni alanın ortaya koyduğu eğilimleri keşfetmek; kuramın proje yönetimi literatürü ve uygulamalarına katkı sağlayabileceği alanları göstermektir.
Yöntem: Proje yönetiminde Sosyal Ağdüzenekleri Kuramı kullanımını araştırmak için Web of Science veri tabanında 2001-2022 yılları arasındaki ilgili makalelere odaklanılarak bibliyometrik analiz metodu kullanılmaktadır. Kümeleme analizi ile de benzerlik veya farklılıklara göre gruplandırılma yapılmaktadır.
Bulgular: Çalışma, proje yönetiminde sosyal ağdüzenekleri kuramının popülerlik kazanmasına rağmen, uygulamasının sınırlı kaldığını ortaya koymaktadır. Bu kapsamdaki literatürün inovasyon, Ar-Ge, bilişim teknolojileri, uzay ve tarım projeleri gibi birden çok paydaş ve ilişkiyi içeren projeleri ihmal ederken, öncelikle inşaat projeleri gibi belirli proje türlerine odaklandığı görülmektedir. Ayrıca bu çalışma, Sosyal Ağdüzenekleri Kuramının ağırlıklı olarak risk yönetimi, paydaş yönetimi ve bilgi yönetimi olmak üzere üç bilgi alanında kullanıldığınnıı tespit etmiştir.
Sonuç ve Katkılar: Proje yönetiminde Sosyal Ağdüzenekleri Kuramı yaklaşımını anlamanın, proje yöneticilerinin daha etkili ekipler oluşturmasına, paydaş katılımını geliştirmesine, iş birliğini ve yeniliği teşvik etmesine ve proje risklerini azaltmasına yardımcı olabileceği sonucuna varılmıştır.
Sınırlılıklar: Bu çalışma Web of Science veri tabanı ile sınırlıdır. Gelecekteki araştırmalar, daha fazla veritabanına girerek çabalarımızı genişletebilir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Sosyal Ağdüzenekleri Kuramı, proje yönetimi, bibliyometrik analiz, ilişki kalıpları, araştırma eğilimleri

Kaynakça

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