Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

submittedVersion

Publication Date

7-2022

Abstract

We review the ways in which gender is theorized in social network research and propose an alternative approach for future research to consider. To assess “what we do,” we undertake an evaluative review. In that review, we first examine how gender is typically theorized in structural approaches to social network research. Then, in greater detail, we review social network research that affords more diversity into such theorizing. We organize this more detailed review around a framework that is based on the level of analysis at which the implications of gender are invoked (cognitive, behavioral) and the focus of relational mechanisms that are used (ego-based, alter-based). Following this review of “what we do,” we consider “what we can do” by reflecting on the state of the literature and proposing a broad agenda, which we see as an alternative to many of the current approaches. We illustrate the implications of this alternative using four research topics and approaches.

Keywords

Gender, Social networks, Cognition, Organization theory

Discipline

Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Ethnicity in Communication | Organizational Behavior and Theory

Research Areas

Strategy and Organisation

Publication

Academy of Management Annals

Volume

16

Issue

2

First Page

588

Last Page

620

ISSN

1941-6520

Identifier

10.5465/annals.2020.0370

Publisher

Academy of Management

Embargo Period

2-18-2022

Copyright Owner and License

Authors

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.5465/annals.2020.0370

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