4th Social Networks Society (SNS) Conference
June 19-20, 2026
IESE Barcelona
FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2026
8:30–8:55 Registration and light breakfast
8:55–9:00 Welcome
9:00–10:30 Plenary Full Paper Session 1
Perceiving Networks: Cognition, Bias, and Social Evaluation
- Who Comes to Mind? How Network Proximity Drives Recall Bias, Hui Sun, Lisheng He, Adam Kleinbaum
- Inferred Networking Motives: How observers’ inferences affect networkers’ relational outcomes, Theresa Floyd, Meredith Woehler, Kristin Cullen-Lester, Seong Won Yang, Siyu Yu
- Gender Differences in the Forms of Agency Higher-Ranking Contacts Signal and their Impact on Men’s and Women’s Performance Evaluations, Meredith Woehler, Kristin Cullen-Lester, Caitlin Porter, Alexandra Gerbasi
Discussant: Eric Quintane
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee Break
11:00 – 12:00 Plenary Short Session A –
Networks, Inequality, and Social Evaluation
- Escaping the Shadow of Giants: How Mentor Retractions Reshape Apprentices’ Scientific Careers, Raquel Pruna, Kaushik Bagchi
- Who Becomes a Target of Dissonant Ties? Creativity and the Career–Social Tradeoff, Ying Li, Shihan Li, Martin Kilduff, Sunny Lee
- When Insiders Talk: Negative Gossip Network and the Socialization of Organizational Newcomers, Yifan Song, Huiwen Lian, Zishuo Ye, Qinglin Zhao, Jingzhou Pan
- Gender Status Beliefs and Network Dynamics in the Solidarity Economy, Natalia Garrido-Skurkowicz
12:00–12:15 Coffee Break
12:15–13:15 Plenary Short Paper Session B
Network Structure, Dynamics, and Innovation
- Inter-professional Brokerage and the Emergence of Innovation Catalysts, Camilla Mola
- Restructuring Workplace Networks: A Randomized Field Experiment, Ozgecan Kocak, Jill Perry-Smith, Adam Kleinbaum, Sameer Srivastava
- Do Better Connected Neighborhoods Have More Startups? A Network Perspective, Neelam Jain, Jorge Guzman, Dan Wang, Mario Small
- Language Multiplexity at Work: How Dual-Language Ties Shape Network Structure and Employee Outcomes, June Shin
1315–14:15 Lunch
14:15–15:00 Keynote Presentation
- Tiziana Casciaro
15:00–15:15 Coffee Break
15:15–16:45 Plenary Full Paper Session 2
Gender, Inequality, and Access to Network Advantage
- Sense of Belonging Predicts Women’s (But Not Men’s) Brokerage in Organizational Networks, Andrew Choi, Shihan Li, Raina Brands, Aneeta Rattan, & Joshua Becker
- Who You Ask Matters: Gendered Returns to Family and Professional Advice in Early-Stage Innovation, Francesca Nannetti, Elisa Operti
- Field Evidence of Gender Differences in Sponsorship Tie Formation and Dissolution, Elizabeth Campbell, Shihan Li, Catherine Shea
Discussant: Paola Zappa
16:45–17:15 Coffee Break
17:15–18:45 Plenary Paper Session 3
Strategic Networking in Context: Behaviour Across Social Enviroments
- Against the Grain: Peers’ Affective and Behavioral Responses to Employees Network-Up, Massimo Maoret, Ruo Mo, Fabio Fonti, Arushi Aggarwal
- Walls Within, Bridges Beyond: Woman-to-Woman Relationships in Men-Dominated Work Contexts, Jamie Strassman, David Harrison
- The Paradox of Digital Environments: Signaling and Socialization among Newcomers in Entrepreneurial Networks, Julian Held, Claudia Jonczyk, Emmanuelle Fauchart
Discussant: Martin Kilduff
19:15–20:00 Cocktail
20:00 – 22:30 Dinner
SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 2026
9:00–10:30 Plenary Paper Session 4
The Psychology of Network Formation and Social Capital
- Converting Pseudo Ties into Social Capital, Jung Won Lee, Shihan Li, Daniel Levin
- Self-Affirmation and Network Behavior: A Field Experiment of Women Entrepreneurs in Kazakhstan, Madina Nurguzhina; Anne ter Wal; HeeJung Jung; Michelle Rogan,
- Reducing Workplace Ostracism Experiences Through Social Network Change, Susan Zhu; Mikhail A. Wolfson; Giuseppe (Joe) Labianca; Nicolina Taylor; Robert Krause; Seong-Won Yang; Dale Watson; Noelle Otto
Discussant: Jessica Methot
10:30–10:45 Break
10:45–11:45 Parallel Short Paper Sessions C & D
Session C – Network Dynamics, Evolution, and Adaptation (Q-101)
- Resilience in Adversity: Adverse Events and the Evolution of Physician Collaborations, Victoria Zhang
- Network Dynamics in Scientific Problem-Solving: Selective Retention Across Phases, David McBee
- From Networks to Serendipity—and Back: Ego-Network Dynamics in Entrepreneurial Journeys, Emin Altun, Anna Moretti
- Brokering Careers: Exploring the Role of Network Brokers in Creative Industries, Chesta Ahuja, Raina Brands
Session D – Networks in Context: Teams, Mobility, Markets (Q-102)
- Network Favoritism: A Meta-Analytic Investigation, Thea Tomova Shakur, Peyton Berry, David Allen
- Seeking Advice to Lead Better? A Coevolutionary Perspective on Advice Networks and Leadership Effectiveness, Steffen Triebel
- Shooting for the Stars: The Role of Informal Leaders’ Status in Team Assembly, Pol Solanelles, Kristin Cullen-Lester
- Managing Transitions in Internal Mobility: How Movers’ Dual Embeddedness Creates Overall Gains, Yezi Kang
- The Structure of Price-Setting Interdependence: A Two-Step Network Framework, Yinji Zhou, Simone Santoni
11:45–12:15 Coffee Break
12:15–13:45 Paper Session 5
Network Structure and Performance: From Teams to Firms
- Role Reversal: Why Structural Diversity, Not Just Demographics, Drives Team Success, Brandy Aven, Shihan Li
- Inventor Network Community Structure and Firm Invention Outcomes, Yi-Jin Sam Chen, Andrew Parker, Stefano Tasselli
- Groove Robbers: The Impact of Copyright Litigation on Artists’ Collaboration Networks in Music, Arushi Aggarwal, Elisa Operti
Discussant: Alessandro Iorio
13:45–14:00 Conference Wrap-Up – Discussant: Stefano Tasselli
14:00–15:30 Cocktail lunch
IESE Business School (Barcelona, Spain) is excited to announce the 4th edition of the Social Network Society (SNS) conference to be held at its Barcelona campus on June 19th and 20th, 2026.
Building on the success of the first three editions held at the University of Exeter, UCL, ESSEC & NEOMA, the Fourth Annual Social Network Society Conference aims to bring together scholars with diverse perspectives to foster a research community interested in studying social networks.
The conference will provide opportunities for in-depth research discussions and interactions both inside and outside the seminar room. It will cover a broad range of topics within the realm of social networks and its intersection with other fields.
Arushi Aggarwal
ESSEC Business School
Contact Information
IESE Business School
ieseccgconference@iese.edu
Tel.:+34 932 53 42 00