Who You Know in Hollywood: A Network Analysis of Television Writers

“It’s who you know, not what you know,” is a familiar phrase—often repeated by professionals in Hollywood. The present study focuses on “who knows who” among Hollywood television writers. Using network analysis, this exploratory study identifies the degree of centralization and types of connections found in this elite writers’ network. Results show a great deal of collaboration in the network, and while male writers are more connected overall in Hollywood, women are more likely to be brokers—a structurally advantageous position. The authors provide explanations for collaboration patterns, especially with regard to gender differences in network roles, and propose avenues for further research.     

Learning and organizations: towards cross-metaphor conversations

Discussions on learning in organizations are characterized by the diversity of perspectives involved and the variety of their disciplinary roots. This is an effort to identify the roots of some metaphors employed in this literature. It is argued that cross-metaphor conversations can contribute to the richness of discussions in the field. Some specific instances where more than one metaphor is employed are identified. The promises of certain “disruptive devices” to facilitate such desirable cross-metaphor interactions are briefly explored.     

Getting in the flow: adolescent test-takers,motivation, and optimal performance

Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability - The validity of inferences made with test results depends on meeting the assumptions of the test users, one of which is the presumption of...