Examining Pricipal and Agent Relationships in Cultural Context within the Framework of Social Network Theory by Using Social Network Analysis

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the principal-agent relationships in cultural context using social network theory. In the study the relationships between principals and agents are examined deriving from Turkey’s cultural properties (GLOBE research). It’s investigated if these properties allow the principal-agent relationships to be formed from the strength ties or brokerage ties of principals in local context. An emprical research is made in a big company in Turkey by using UCINET 6.0 program which lets social network analysis. By this way the hypotheses are tested by means of some necessary metrics and network maps. At the end of the research, it is reached that in Turkey, principals use their strong ties or brokerage ties in order to make decisions about choosing agents.