Let me give an introduction about the social interactions. Social Networks are the network of individuals or individuals with a group or a network of group with another group. The interactions happen with a purpose, there are transactions and there are exchanges. Many literature talks about mutual benefits. The pattern of interactions are not in a fixed fashion. They change according to the culture they are in, the norms, and other external conditions. There are also theories talking about socially constructed behaviours which decides one's action. They are also referred as alters in some literature.

Hmm, this is a bit like asking ‘what is the meaning of life’ – there is no beginning and no end. In the past, I’ve used a habermasian framework for understanding the intersection of data and humans (1,2), where he differentiates between the lifeworld of human actors and the system of bureaucratic actors. Communicative action is inherent in the interactions within the lifeworld, and strategic action with the system. Understanding this bridges a gulf in information theory.

More recent interpretations of this is Giddens’ work on structuration (3), which follows the transition of information between structure and communication, a model which fits woth Por’s ‘knowledge ecosystem, the triple network. Greenhalgh is a good article as well(4)

1. Habermas J. The Theory of Communicative Action: Lifeworld and system: a critique of functionalist reason. Boston: Beacon Press; 1987.

2. Habermas J. The Theory of Communicative Action: Reason and the rationalization of society. Boston: Beacon Press (MA); 1984.

3. Giddens A. The Constitution of Society. Univ of California Press; 1986.

4. Greenhalgh T, Stones R. Theorising big IT programmes in healthcare: strong structuration theory meets actor-network theory. Soc Sci Med. 2010 May 1;70(9):1285–94.

Christopher, I hadn't thought of Giddens and Stones as information theory in a formal sense. Can you elaborate on the relationship a bit more.

I was thinking more about formal models ala Cover and Thomas, 2006. I've been working on an axiomatic approach to modeling human interaction dynamcs (HID) and was hoping to find others who are also working in this area.

I sponsored a symposium at the the Academy of Managment in Boston last August and plan another on in Orlando this year.

We are also working on a Special Issue of Emergence: Complexity and Organization (E:CO) that is due out later this year. More here:

http://www.complexityandsociety.com/index.php/events/

Giddens is a basic level of structuration. For specifically dealing with technology in structuration, I would suggest adaptive structuration theory to you... here is an update to a seminal work in this area from 1994.

Thanks for the other references - look interesting. I suppose I was working in the other direction. I started with social theory in a study on computers in the consulting space (used dramaturgy). Given that social theory is a dynamic and well developed area, I've looked at how to adapt social theory into the e-health space. So dramaturgy for micro interactions, complexity theory for big implementations. The structuration stuff is in a paper (under review) on data and data governance

Giddens describes the transition of information between structure and communication (adapting the Habermas model) - from the paper "Data is a vehicle by which the effects of human interaction and communicative action are placed in a system construct and captured in a CIS, where it can shape an organisation/system and associated processes and protocols. Data is not just the product of an interaction for consumption by clinicians, researchers or policy makers. It is also an agent within the care process, an integral part of the cycle of care. This fits with information ecology where the informational space is viewed as an ecosystem. Pór described the knowledge ecosystem as a “Triple Network” that comprises (i) a people network of productive conversations, (ii) a knowledge network of ideas, information and inspiration, supported by (iii) a technology network of knowledge bases and communication links to nurture collective intelligence and systemic wisdom. This convergence with organisational systems theory can explain how organisations interpret their data, information and knowledge to guide organisational strategy, policy and operations. '

probably a bit oblique to your actual question.

I think so you should work on social behaviour impact on organizational change management or some topic related to it.

Or using social media to enhance the organizational processes, using organizational social environment to enhance skills etc

Authority and the culture surrounding authoritative figures are important determinants of information entropy in organizations. That is why the picture and worldview at the apex of the organization is often at odds with the one perceived at the bottom of the hierarchy. You could say that power structures distort the flow and interpretation of information.