Author
Mounier, Lise
Sapulete, Saraï
Lazega, Emmanuel
Type
Article accepté pour publication ou publié
Abstract (EN)
The extent to which the emergent structure of an organization remains the same,
regardless of the turnover of the members, is one of the most interesting questions raised
by the analyses of its evolution. This paper uses longitudinal network analysis to provide an
answer to this question. Its shows the usefulness of combining both dynamics and comparative statics (here, blockmodelling) in the study of this evolution. An empirical study examines
the evolution of the structure of the advice network among judges of the Commercial Court
of Paris. The combination of dynamics and comparative statics answers the initial question:
Radical structuralism turns out to be wrong. An answer depends on the dimensions of the
structure on which observers focus. The pecking order in the advice network remains relatively stable, regardless of members’turnover. However, social differentiation measured in
terms of role relationships and division of work shows that the relational structure does not
remain the same regardless of members’turnover. Specifically, relational processes within
the organization, such as collective learning, impose varying constraints on different kinds
of members over time and the overall relational structure reflects these members’changing
reactions and responses to these constraints. Since the former vary, so do the latter, and so
does the resulting emergent overall structure.