So Many Ties, So Little Time

We used data from 67 new product development teams to show that different tasks require different network structures to be effective. Results showed that exploratory teams completed their projects more quickly if they had many strong ties that were non-redundant. In contrast, teams pursuing tasks that exploited existing expertise took longer to complete if they had this type of network structure, mainly because ties had to be maintained but were not much needed for the task. However, both types of teams took longer to complete if they spent time helping others as part of reciprocal arrangements. We propose that research on structural network theory in organizations needs to be broadened to reflect the effects of task differences, network costs, and difficulties in getting others to help.