Social Networks, Social Categories, and Market Competition

Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM) will offer its course "Social Networks, Social Categories, and Market Competition" online this fall.

Aims and content

The main goal of the course is to give students a deep understanding of how social structures affect market competition, focusing in particular on the theoretical mechanisms that account for their effect on behavior and performance. Another important goal of the course is to show how to make progress within a particular research area, i.e., how to position your research fruitfully within your research area. To accomplish these goals, we will read both foundational theory and more recent empirical applications (with an emphasis on dissertation papers) from different disciplines, such as strategy, organization theory, and sociology.

This course offers a survey of theoretical and empirical research on how social structures affect individuals and organizations in markets. The course builds on the premise that social structure refers both to social networks and to social categories that jointly shape market outcome by providing access to resources and opportunities and creating different expectations to market participants. While the primary focus of this course is on the consequences of networks and categories among business organizations, the course should be of interest to students in all the social sciences. 

Teacher

Michael Jensen is a Professor of Strategy at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan and an International Research Fellow at the University of Oxford's Centre for Corporate Reputation. He completed his PhD at Northwestern University in 2001. His research focuses on the role of social structures in markets. He views markets as social structures that encompass social networks and social categories. Within this broad theoretical framework, his research focuses mainly on deepening our understanding of how status, reputation, and identity shape various important outcomes for organizations and individuals in a variety of different empirical contexts.

Michael Jensen's research has been published in leading academic journals, including Academy of Management Journal, Administrative Science Quarterly, Management Science, Organization Science, Poetics, and Strategic Management Journal.

Timetable

6 sessions of 4 hours on Mon 20 Sep, Wed 22 Sep, Fri 24 Sep, Mon 27 Sep, Wed 29 Sep, Fri 1 Oct, 13:00-15:45.

Assessment

Participants are asked to write and present a research paper using the Social Network theories introduced in the course on their own research question.

Cost

780 euro (+- 925 US dollar)

More info

Please visit https://www.erim.eur.nl/doctoral-programme/courses/detail/3663 for more information about practical details and enrollment.

Please note that the number of participants is limited, therefore we advise you to register as soon as possible.