i4cp Extends Partnership with Rob Cross

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i4cp and Cross to co-manage the Connected Commons, a consortium of organizations focused on the science of collaboration.

The Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp), a leading human capital research firm that discovers the people practices that drive high performance, announced today an extended partnership with Rob Cross, Edward A. Madden Professor of Global Business at Babson College, author, and recognized thought leader in social network analysis.

i4cp and Cross will co-manage the Connected Commons, an open source consortium of leading organizations dedicated to analyzing how Social Network Science improves the performance and well-being of individuals, organizations, and society in three areas: driving innovation and alignment across organizations, empowering talent, and enhancing leadership.

The Connected Commons meets in-person and virtually throughout the year, and its membership is comprised of dozens of well-known companies that are reimagining outdated hierarchies and structures, while activating and leveraging networks.

Expanding on a partnership that began in 2016 when Cross and i4cp embarked on an extensive study on workforce collaboration, this deeper partnership will leverage the ongoing joint research along with tools, solutions, and more to help organizations capitalize on the power of their networks.

“Rob is really the founder and central figure in organizational and social network analysis (ONA), and our partnership in co-managing the Connected Commons is another natural step in continuing to leverage our respective skillsets,” said Kevin Oakes, i4cp’s CEO. “We are fortunate and pleased to work even more closely together, and to bring i4cp members more cutting-edge human capital tools and data that have positive impact on market performance.”

“I’m excited to continue my work with i4cp and inject their expertise, experience, and assets into the Connected Commons, which today is the preeminent consortium at the forefront of ONA,” said Cross. “Together, we can empower companies with the information and tools they need to realize considerable improvement in productivity, communication, and innovation.”

Cross will also remain a member of i4cp’s Thought Leader Consortium and his role at i4cp as a Senior Research Advisor.

The Connected Commons is currently accepting new members – if you’re interested in joining, please contact us.

Erik Samdahl

As vice president of marketing at i4cp, Erik is currently responsible for all marketing efforts for the company and works alongside several departments to execute organizational initiatives. He also oversees web development projects. Located in Seattle, WA, he brings over 15 years of Internet marketing experience, most of which are in the research industry.

Prior to i4cp, Erik worked as Internet Marketing Director at market research panel company GMI, where he was responsible for global online marketing and panel growth in several countries. He also managed the graphic design team and worked extensively with other departments on process improvements and plan development. GMI experienced exceptional revenue growth - several hundred percent - during his tenure. Prior to GMI, Erik founded FilmJabber.com, a movie review and information website that continues to grow in popularity and traffic.

Erik received a B.A. in Business Administration with a concentration in Management Information Systems from Western Washington University.