23476: Exploring Leadership Through the Lens of Social Networks: Progress Made and the Path Forward

Tuesday, July 29, 2025

13:45 - 15:15 CEST (GMT+2)

Location: Bella Center: Hall B- B4-m6

Session Type: Symposium (panel)
Orientation: Practice,International,Research
Shareable link: https://cdmcd.co/8Yp4RY

Session Chair(s)

GM

Gouri Mohan

IESEG School of Management, France

Moderator(s)

AC

Anwesha Choudhury

California State U., Los Angeles, United States

Organizer(s)

FK

Fatima Koko

U. of Mississippi

Panelist(s)

PB

Prasad Balkundi

U. at Buffalo, The State U. of New York, United States
DC

Dorothy R. Carter

Michigan State U., United States
YK

Yuval Kalish

WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management, Germany
MK

Martin J. Kilduff

UCL School of Management, United Kingdom
ST

Stefano Tasselli

U. of Exeter Business School, United Kingdom
VV

Vijaya Venkataramani

U. of Maryland, United States

The utilization of social networks as a theoretical lens as well as a methodological tool for the study of leadership has gained increasing prominence in the literature. Social network approaches, with their capacity to model the intricate structure of social relationships in organizations, provide a valuable perspective in exploring leadership as a relationally constructed process. However, despite significant progress, several potential avenues at the intersection of leadership and social networks remain unexplored. Indeed, social networks provide a unique view into the coevolving process through which individual attributes and collective properties mutually influence each other, the full potential for which has not been realized in the current leadership literature. In order to further this mission, this panel symposium will concentrate on three key goals: 1) highlighting how social network approaches have advanced the study of leadership so far, 2) addressing the unresolved tensions that remain in this line of research, and 3) identifying fruitful directions for future research in leadership and social networks. To achieve this, we have assembled a distinguished panel of experts who will address these questions and offer valuable insights to further advance both the science and practice of social network approaches to leadership.