Network sequencing: what is it and how does it help you elaborate novel ideas?

Those responsible for developing novel ideas rarely do so entirely alone, but seeking feedback and support from colleagues is not straightforward. On the one hand, they need input from colleagues early on to improve early-stage ideas and to avoid working on dead ends for too long. On the other, they may want to guard their ideas from colleagues, to avoid dismissive feedback due to the ideas being vague and uncertain. So, how can individuals seeking to elaborate novel ideas best go about soliciting input and support from their colleagues? 

This video draws on findings from "Inside-Out, Outside-In, or All-in-One? The Role of Network Sequencing in the Elaboration of Ideas" by Anne ter Wal, Paola Criscuolo and Ammon Salter, published in Academy of Management Journal (2022)

Dual networking: how collaborators network in their quest for innovation

Innovation happens when technological progress meets business application. But in a world where technology and business insights are often held by individuals in different roles, it is not clear how collaborators can best work together. We studied a Fortune-500 firm to examine how R&D technologists and R&D managers – partnered up in their quest for innovation – best coordinate their networks to marry the “what’s possible” with “what’s needed”. 

This video draws on findings from "Dual Networking: How Collaborators Network in Their Quest for Innovation" by Anne ter Wal, Paola Criscuolo, Bill McEvily and Ammon Salter, published in Administrative Science Quarterly (2020)

How to navigate networking events to find specific information

Networking has become integral to professional life, and plays an important role in the lives of entrepreneurs, inventors, managers and other creative professionals. Yet, individuals face key trade-offs, as the most effective approaches may not necessarily be the most socially desirable. In this study, we conducted a networking experiment to investigate how individuals may best manage key tradeoffs in how people search for information through networking.

This video draws on findings from "Understanding Behavioral Tradeoffs in Networking for Information: An Interactive Experiment with Sociometric Badges" by Bálint Diószegi, Anne ter Wal, Valentina Tartari, Daniella Laureiro-Martinez and Stefano Brusoni (working paper)