Knowledge Matters™

I bought “Social Network Analysis in Program Evaluation ” edited by Mary Durland and Kimberly Fredericks about two years ago. At the time it cost me about $90, but I note the cost is now $27 which is far more realistic. When the book arrived in the mail I was disappointed, partly because it wasn’t quite what I expected, and partly because it’s a little thin A6 publication comprising just 101 pages. All that said it is a book I often refer to, and carry around because of its size.

The book is interesting from a practitioner’s point of view because it applies, or tries to apply, network analysis techniques to program evaluation. In this sense the book is unique. The first three chapters provide a background to social network analysis, and introduce key concepts like dyads, cliques, centrality, and balance. These explanations are accurate and succinct. The discussion in Chapter One on how network analysis techniques might be used in program evaluation is particularly interesting.

Chapters Four through to Eight provide some case studies that illustrate network analysis and program evaluation in action. The first case study looks at communication networks among high school faculty at a troubled mixed-race school. Although this study occurred in 1991 it is a useful illustration of how social network analysis might be used as a diagnostic tool.

Chapter Six presents a knowledge capacity study conducted at the Idaho National Laboratory. I was quite familiar with this study having read the original PhD thesis, so I was a bit disappointed with the summary. Notwithstanding this comment I support the conclusion which says “For a novice evaluator, SNA is complex and difficult to complete without support”. This comment mirrors by own experience. Coming from a health background I was interested in the final case study which looked at health care delivery, but I was disappointed with the content. Personally I would not have called it a case study, but rather a theoretical exposition.

As one would expect the book is aimed at lay-people. It has sufficient content to whet the appetite, but I suspect most people will be left wanting more. Had I had the opportunity to peruse the book before buying it I would not have done so – I certainly wouldn’t pay $90 for it again! At $27 I would consider buying it, but I think there are better value books around like “Social Networks and Organizations ” by Professors Martin Kilduff and Wenpin Tsai. All in all I would give the book two stars.