Examining Organizational Support Networks: Homophily in a Korean Immigrant Church

• In Event: B.E.S.T.: Communication Networks in and Between Organizations

Abstract

Given the important implications of social support on managing volunteers and their organizational commitment, we investigate how members of a Korean immigrant church (N = 178) exchange various kinds of social support (i.e., informational, emotional, and tangible) using a social network approach. Employing an exponential random graph modeling (ERGM), the current study estimates the likelihood of age and gender homophily in forming supportive ties while simultaneously considering structural parameters (e.g., edges, degrees, and geometrically weighted edgewise shared partners.) Hypotheses regarding the effect of members’ socioeconomic status and hierarchical positions on their network centralities were supported overall; however, ERGM for the three types of support networks produced a more nuanced picture of selective process of Korean immigrants’ support exchange. The findings shed light on the internal structuring of organizational support networks and suggest practical implications for managing organizational volunteers.

Authors

• Sun Kyong Lee, U of Oklahoma

• Heewon Kim, Rutgers U

• Cameron Wade Piercy, U of Oklahoma