title: Personal and Network Dynamics in Performance of Knowledge Workers: A Study of Australian Breast Radiologists.
abstract: METHODS
  In this paper, we propose a theoretical model based upon previous studies about personal and social network dynamics of job performance. We provide empirical support for this model using real-world data within the context of the Australian radiology profession. An examination of radiologists' professional network topology through structural-positional and relational dimensions and radiologists' personal characteristics in terms of knowledge, experience and self-esteem is provided. Thirty one breast imaging radiologists completed a purpose designed questionnaire regarding their network characteristics and personal attributes. These radiologists also independently read a test set of 60 mammographic cases: 20 cases with cancer and 40 normal cases. A Jackknife free response operating characteristic (JAFROC) method was used to measure the performance of the radiologists' in detecting breast cancers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Correlational analyses showed that reader performance was positively correlated with the social network variables of degree centrality and effective size, but negatively correlated with constraint and hierarchy. For personal characteristics, the number of mammograms read per year and self-esteem (self-evaluation) positively correlated with reader performance. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that the combination of number of mammograms read per year and network's effective size, hierarchy and tie strength was the best fitting model, explaining 63.4% of the variance in reader performance. The results from this study indicate the positive relationship between reading high volumes of cases by radiologists and expertise development, but also strongly emphasise the association between effective social/professional interactions and informal knowledge sharing with high performance.
authors.affiliation: Complex Systems Research Group, Faculty of Engineering & IT, the University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Seyedamir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tavakoli Taba
authors.affiliation: Complex Systems Research Group, Faculty of Engineering & IT, the University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.|Division of Information & Technology Studies, Faculty of Education, the University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Liaquat
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hossain
authors.affiliation: Health Systems and Global Populations Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences, the University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Heard
authors.affiliation: Medical Image Optimisation and Perception Group (MIOPeG), Faculty of Health Sciences, the University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brennan
authors.affiliation: Medical Image Optimisation and Perception Group (MIOPeG), Faculty of Health Sciences, the University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Warwick
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Medical Image Optimisation and Perception Group (MIOPeG), Faculty of Health Sciences, the University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lewis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004526:Efficiency; D005260:Female; D013502:General Surgery; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011871:Radiology; D012649:Self Concept; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D060756:Social Networking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000066477:Work Performance