Leveraging Strategic Networks Bill McEvily U of Toronto

1. Teaching
Social Networks
PDW
Module 1: Frameworks
Leveraging Strategic Networks
Bill McEvily

2. Be Careful What You Wish for
Joel: Welcome to U of T, what elective would you like
to teach to the MBAs?
Bill: Social Networks of course, duh!
Joel: Cool! Go for it.
Bill: Yipee!

3. Tiny Issue
What exactly does a social networks course look like?
 Topics
 Cases
 Readings
 Materials
What to do?
 Beg, borrow, steal
Results?
 Okay, but not quite right

4. Big Issue
What does it take to have a successful social
networks course ?
1. Integrated framework
2. Grounding in body of research
3. Applications to topics of interest
4. Tools for transforming sophisticated theories &
analysis into meaningful experiences

5. Reboot
Topics of Interest
1. Professional Success
2. Organizational Change
3. Social Strategies
Structural
Strategic
- Purposive
- Trade-offs
- Aligned

6. Teaching Approach
2 Times
1. Experiential
2. Deep dive
Cases/videos
Interactive activities
2 Assignments
- Network Self-Assessment
- Social Strategy Analysis

7. Ongoing Challenges
 Marketing

8. Ongoing Challenges
 Marketing
 What & why versus how (to)
 Materials
 Richness of theory, accessible to managers
 Tools for experiencing & exploring networks
 Cases

9. Thank You!
Comments, Questions, …