Under what conditions do informally powerful actors in organizations emerge? And, under what conditions does informal power affect group dynamics, such as friendship formation, and individual outcomes, such as employee well-being? This dissertation introduces a dynamic integrative approach to the study of the antecedents of informal power and its potential consequences. Different theoretical perspectives are combined in a single overarching framework highlighting the cognitive foundations of informal power. Using longitudinal complete network data from two contrasting real-life organizations, this research provides new insight into the importance of visibility for the development of informal power.
Supervisors: Rafael Wittek, Rudi Wielers, Christian Steglich
Defended: April 23, 2012
The complete thesis can be downloaded here.
Alona Labun is currently employed as a lecturer at the Department of Sociology, University of Groningen, and as a researcher at a Dutch Youth Care Organization.