TheUniversityofTexasatDallas

P. O. Box 830688 -- MS SM43; RICHARDSON, TEXAS75083-0688

TEL: (972) 883-2015 FAX: (972) 883-6521

SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

DavidL.Ford, Jr., Ph.D.

Professor of Organizational Studies,

Strategy, & International Management

MEMORANDUM

TO: Management Faculty of Color Association (MFCA)

FROM: David L. Ford, Jr., Ph.D.

Professor of Organizational Studies

University of Texas a Dallas

RE: Assistance with Social Networks Research Study

DATE: November 8, 2005

Social network research has gained in popularity in recent years, and scholars and practitioners in the USA and in other countries around the world have begun to focus on the personal networks of individual members within an organization in order to better understand how such networks benefit members and also how the networks aid in the social integration of members into organizational activities and organizational life. The survey described this letter is designed to collect data from members of MFCA in order to better understand the network dynamics of the organization. The study has been approved by the MFCA Executive Committee. The data will eventually be compared to data collected from similar organizations in other parts of the world in order to determine whether there are any cultural differences associated with the network dynamics.

We are targeting professional associations and organizations for this research study as opposed to work organizations because the professional associations allow members to exercise the maximum degree of choice in how much or how little the members wish to be involved in association activities. As such, an academic professional association is a good example of such an organization from which to collect data. More specifically, in this study we are interested in learning about the following issues as they relate to MFCA: (1) as new members join the association, what are the processes and procedures by which they are socially integrated into the organization? (2) beyond any initial orientation or induction process, which methods of social integration are relatively more successful for helping members feel a part of the organization? (3) in what ways do members use their relationships within the association, e.g., for friendship and support, career advice, instrumental help, information exchange, etc., and what benefits are derived there from? (4) how do members’ personal characteristics impact the nature and character of their association relationships? (5) what insights can be gained by comparing the network experiences of organizational members from the USA and other countries and regions of the world?

Therefore, we are asking that members of MFCA who are willing to volunteer to participate in this study of network dynamics and social integration to complete the Social Network Survey that accompanies this letter, or it can be accessed for downloading at and clicking on the link to the MFCA Social Network Survey near the bottom of the page. All information provided will be kept confidential and only aggregated data will be reported in any write-ups of the study. We sincerely hope that as many members of your association as possible will respond to the survey in order to have a representative sample across all the organizations involved. In responding to the first part of the survey (Questions 6-19), you should use the MFCA membership roster that appears at the end of this letter. We would like to have all surveys completed and returned by 10December 2005 if at all possible.

Completed surveys should be emailed to me at Please feel free to contact me via email if you have any questions or concerns about the survey.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation and participation in the study.

MFCA Membership List
Last Name / First Name / Affiliation
Aguinis / Herman / University of Colorado at Denver
Archambeau / Lindy / University of Utah
Beal / Reginald / FloridaA & MUniversity
Bento / Regina / University of Baltimore
Black / Sylvia Sloan / North CarolinaA&TUniversity
Blackwell / Sheryl / FloridaA & MUniversity
Blake-Beard / Stacy / SimmonsCollege
Blancero / Donna / TourouUniversity International
Blockson / Laquita / University of Northern Iowa
Clark, Jr. / George / FloridaA & MUniversity
Combs / Gwendolyn M. / University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Crawley / Daria / University of Pittsburgh
Davis / Jullet / University of Alabama
DeVaughn / Michael / University of Minnesota
Douglas / Ceasar / FloridaState
Dumas / Tracy Lynn / The GeorgeWashingtonUniversity
Ferdman / Bernardo / AlliantInternationalUniversity
Finley-Hervey / Joycelyn / FloridaA&MUniversity
Ford, Jr. / David / University of Texas at Dallas
Friday-Stroud / Shawnta / FloridaA&MUniversity
Frye / Crissie M. / Eastern MichiganUniversity
Galvin / Tiffany / University of Massachusetts
Gambill-Motley / Darlene / RobertMorrisUniversity
Garcia / Joseph / WesternWashingtonUniversity
Goins / Shelia / University of Iowa
Green / Anna / FloridaA & MUniversity
Green / Sandy / University of Southern California
Hewlin / Patricia / GeorgetownUniversity
Hill / Vanessa / WinthropUniversity
Jackson / Janice / Westernnew EnglandCollege
James / Constance / PepperdineUniversity
Johnson / C. Douglas / WinthropUniversity
Johnson / Olenda / North CarolinaA&TUniversity
Jones / M. Colleen / Univ. of Nebraska - Lincoln
Leonard / Ana / MiamiUniversity
Martinez / Patricia / University of Texas at San Antonio
McKinney / Arlise / University of North Carolina-Greensboro
McLeod / Poppy / Case Western Reserve Univ.
Miree / Cynthia / OaklandUniversity
Murphy / Angela / FloridaA & MUniversity
Myers / Valerie / University of Michigan
Nelson / Millicent / MiddleTennesseeStateUniversity
ogilvie / dt / RutgersUniversity
Okhuysen / Gerardo / University of Utah
Ordonez / Lisa / University of Arizona
Parks-Yancey / Rochelle / Texas Southern University
Perry-Smith / Jill / EmoryUniversity
Phillips / Damon / University of Chicago
Phillips / Katherine / Northwestern University
Rasheed / Howard / Univ. of North Carolina
Richard / Orlando / University of Texas at Dallas
Roberson / Loriann / ArizonaStateUniversity
Roberson / Quinetta / CornellUniversity
Roberts / Laura / HarvardUniversity
Roberts / Velma / FloridaA&MUniversity
Robinson / Jeffrey / New YorkUniversity
Robinson / Sammie / IllinoisWesleyanUniversity
Rosette / Ashleigh / University of Houston
Smith / Melvin / CaseWestern ReserveUniversity
Smith / Wanda / VirginiaTechUniversity
Stewart / Marcus / BentleyCollege
Suazo / Mark / BryantCollege
Tekleab / Amanuel / ClarksonUniversity
Turner / Karynne / GeorgiaStateUniversity
Weems-Landingham / Velvet / KentStateUniversity
Whaley / George / San JoseStateUniversity
Williams / Michelle / MIT
Williamson / Ian / University of Maryland, College Park