Porter, Wayne

The so-called “Navy Innovation Network” consists of formal and informal collaborations that include(d) the CNO's Strategic Studies Group (SSGs), CNO's Rapid Innovation Cell (CRIC), The Athena Project, Task Force Innovation (TFI), the Naval Innovation Advisory Council (NIAC), as well as several social media groupings and innovation fora (both physical and virtual) that attract hundreds, if not thousands, of bright, motivated sailors and Navy civilians with creative ideas to share. But who are these dedicated professionals and how can we better connect them to each other and to Navy offices, agencies and programs able to adapt or rapidly prototype their innovations?

Researchers will code and develop social network analysis matrices of US Navy personnel (nodes) who are currently linked together through various formal and informal blogs, social media fora, information exchanges, technical fora, and command-sponsored innovation initiatives aimed at improving Navy combat systems, human resource polices, acquisition policies, technical, tactical and operational approaches. Through the use of commercially available social network analysis software, the matrices (of members, events, organizations, etc.) will be used to develop graphical two and three dimensional topologic/sociogram depictions of the Navy innovation network that connect these nodes through strong and weak ties. These matrices will be dynamically updated by open source databases with information related to events being scheduled, fora available, and progress being made in specific areas of interest to Navy Innovation Network members. Metrics of centrality, density, cohesiveness/structural holes, and clustering can then be longitudinally measured to determine how best to increase the network's effectiveness and integration with ongoing Navy research and development at the Warfare Centers and Labs in order to more efficiently capitalize on new ideas and technologies to improve effectiveness in a variety of subject areas of interest.
NPS Naval Research Program
NPS Naval Research Program
Navy
2017