Showing papers on "Social network published in 2002"

Evolution of the social network of scientific collaborations

Abstract: The co-authorship network of scientists represents a prototype of complex evolving networks. In addition, it o8ers one of the most extensive database to date on social networks. By mapping the electronic database containing all relevant journals in mathematics and neuro-science for an 8-year period (1991–98), we infer the dynamic and the structural mechanisms that govern the evolution and topology of this complex system. Three complementary approaches allow us to obtain a detailed characterization. First, empirical measurements allow us to uncover the topological measures that characterize the network at a given moment, as well as the time evolution of these quantities. The results indicate that the network is scale-free, and that the network evolution is governed by preferential attachment, a8ecting both internal and external links. However, in contrast with most model predictions the average degree increases in time, and the node separation decreases. Second, we propose a simple model that captures the network’s time evolution. In some limits the model can be solved analytically, predicting a two-regime scaling in agreement with the measurements. Third, numerical simulations are used to uncover the behavior of quantities that could not be predicted analytically. The combined numerical and analytical results underline the important role internal links play in determining the observed scaling behavior and network topology. The results and methodologies developed in the context of the co-authorship network could be useful for a systematic study of other complex evolving networks as well, such as the world wide web, Internet, or other social networks. c

Evolution of the social network of scientific collaborations

Abstract: The co-authorship network of scientists represents a prototype of complex evolving networks. In addition, it o8ers one of the most extensive database to date on social networks. By mapping the electronic database containing all relevant journals in mathematics and neuro-science for an 8-year period (1991–98), we infer the dynamic and the structural mechanisms that govern the evolution and topology of this complex system. Three complementary approaches allow us to obtain a detailed characterization. First, empirical measurements allow us to uncover the topological measures that characterize the network at a given moment, as well as the time evolution of these quantities. The results indicate that the network is scale-free, and that the network evolution is governed by preferential attachment, a8ecting both internal and external links. However, in contrast with most model predictions the average degree increases in time, and the node separation decreases. Second, we propose a simple model that captures the network’s time evolution. In some limits the model can be solved analytically, predicting a two-regime scaling in agreement with the measurements. Third, numerical simulations are used to uncover the behavior of quantities that could not be predicted analytically. The combined numerical and analytical results underline the important role internal links play in determining the observed scaling behavior and network topology. The results and methodologies developed in the context of the co-authorship network could be useful for a systematic study of other complex evolving networks as well, such as the world wide web, Internet, or other social networks. c

Social Structure of Coopetition Within a Multiunit Organization: Coordination, Competition, and Intraorganizational Knowledge Sharing

Abstract: Drawing on a social network perspective of organizational coordination, this paper investigates the effectiveness of coordination mechanisms on knowledge sharing in intraorganizational networks that consist of both collaborative and competitive ties among organizational units. Internal knowledge sharing within a multiunit organization requires formal hierarchical structure and informal lateral relations as coordination mechanisms. Using sociometric techniques, this paper analyzes how formal hierarchical structure and informal lateral relations influence knowledge sharing and how interunit competition moderates the association between such coordination mechanisms and knowledge sharing in a large, multiunit company. Results show that formal hierarchical structure, in the form of centralization, has a significant negative effect on knowledge sharing, and informal lateral relations, in the form of social interaction, have a significant positive effect on knowledge sharing among units that compete with each other for market share, but not among units that compete with each other for internal resources.

Social network analysis: a powerful strategy, also for the information sciences:

Abstract: Social network analysis (SNA) is not a formal theory in sociology but rather a strategy for investigating social structures. As it is an idea that can be applied in many fields, we study, in partic...

FROM FACTORS TO ACTORS: Computational Sociology and Agent-Based Modeling

Abstract: ■ Abstract Sociologists often model social processes as interactions among variables. We review an alternative approach that models social life as interactions among adaptive agents who influence one another in response to the influence they receive. These agent-based models (ABMs) show how simple and predictable local interactions can generate familiar but enigmatic global patterns, such as the diffusion of information, emergence of norms, coordination of conventions, or participation in collective action. Emergent social patterns can also appear unexpectedly and then just as dramatically transform or disappear, as happens in revolutions, market crashes, fads, and feeding frenzies. ABMs provide theoretical leverage where the global patterns of interest are more than the aggregation of individual attributes, but at the same time, the emergent pattern cannot be understood without a bottom up dynamical model of the microfoundations at the relational level. We begin with a brief historical sketch of the shift from “factors” to “actors” in computational sociology that shows how agent-based modeling differs fundamentally from earlier sociological uses of computer simulation. We then review recent contributions focused on the emergence of social structure and social order out of local interaction. Although sociology has lagged behind other social sciences in appreciating this new methodology, a distinctive sociological contribution is evident in the papers we review. First, theoretical interest focuses on dynamic social networks that shape and are shaped by agent interaction. Second, ABMs are used to perform virtual experiments that test macrosociological theories by manipulating structural factors like network topology, social stratification, or spatial mobility. We conclude our review with a series of recommendations for realizing the rich sociological potential of this approach.

Identity and Search in Social Networks

Abstract: Social networks have the surprising property of being "searchable": Ordinary people are capable of directing messages through their network of acquaintances to reach a specific but distant target person in only a few steps. We present a model that offers an explanation of social network searchability in terms of recognizable personal identities: sets of characteristics measured along a number of social dimensions. Our model defines a class of searchable networks and a method for searching them that may be applicable to many network search problems, including the location of data files in peer-to-peer networks, pages on the World Wide Web, and information in distributed databases.

Time counts: future time perspective, goals, and social relationships.

Abstract: On the basis of postulates derived from socioemotional selectivity theory, the authors explored the extent to which future time perspective (FTP) is related to social motivation, and to the composition and perceived quality of personal networks. Four hundred eighty German participants with ages ranging from 20 to 90 years took part in the study. In 2 card-sort tasks, participants indicated their partner preference and goal priority. Participants also completed questionnaires on personal networks and social satisfaction. Older people, as a group, perceived their future time as more limited than younger people. Individuals who perceived future time as being limited prioritized emotionally meaningful goals (e.g., generativity, emotion regulation), whereas individuals who perceived their futures as open-ended prioritized instrumental or knowledge-related goals. Priority of goal domains was found to be differently associated with the size, composition, and perceived quality of personal networks depending on FTP. Prioritizing emotion-regulatory goals was associated with greater social satisfaction and less perceived strain with others when participants perceived their future as limited. Findings underscore the importance of FTP in the self-regulation of social relationships and the subjective experience associated with them.

Newcomers' relationships: the role of social network ties during socialization

Abstract: A sample of 154 new auditors was surveyed to investigate how patterns of social relationships affected socialization. Characteristics of the newcomers' informational networks (size, density, strength, range, and status) related to three different indicators of learning: organizational knowledge, task mastery, and role clarity. Also, the structure of the newcomers' friendship networks related to their social integration and organizational commitment. By linking socialization outcomes to social network structure, this study sheds new light on the role of relationships in newcomer learning and assimilation.

Email networks and the spread of computer viruses.

Abstract: Many computer viruses spread via electronic mail, making use of computer users' email address books as a source for email addresses of new victims. These address books form a directed social network of connections between individuals over which the virus spreads. Here we investigate empirically the structure of this network using data drawn from a large computer installation, and discuss the implications of this structure for the understanding and prevention of computer virus epidemics.

The articulation of social capital in entrepreneurial networks: a glue or a lubricant?

Abstract: While social capital has been applied in a variety of contexts, the nature, role and application of social capital in an entrepreneurial context have not been extensively explored. The nature of social capital presents a conceptual puzzle in that it is said to be both glue, which forms the structure of networks, and at the same time a lubricant that facilitates the operation of networks. Using techniques of participant observation and interviews, this paper attempts to resolve this enigma. It finds that social capital is not a thing, but a process that creates a condition of social capital. The structural and relational aspects are found to be dimensions of this process. Interestingly, the data also demonstrates that there are successful etiquettes of social capital formation. These etiquettes provide the rules and framework for the interactions.

System and method for building social networks based on activity around shared virtual objects

Abstract: A system and method for determining a social network. A metrics database stores virtual object indicia including document attributes, activities, and associated persons. A query engine responsive to a user request and the metrics database infers individual connections to the virtual object by individuals executing the activities. A visualization engine visualizes membership in the social network as including these individuals and the activities connecting them. The query engine further collects a plurality of documents having non-unique values on a first shared attribute into an aggregate, and the visualization engine further filters the social network to include only individuals having membership in the aggregate.

Measuring perceived social support: Development of the child and adolescent social support scale (CASSS)

Abstract: The measurement of students’ social support has become a popular topic in education and psychology, yet measurement tools in this area are limited. In this study, we use a large, representative sample to conduct confirmatory factor, reliability, and correlational analyses of scores on the Child and Adolescent Social Support Scale (CASSS; Malecki, Demaray, Elliott, & Nolten, 1999). These analyses revealed evidence of reliability, a four-factor structure (Parent, Teacher, Classmate, and Close Friend subscales), and construct validity. The results of this study indicate that the CASSS covaries as predicted with the clinically important constructs of self-concept, social skills, and behavioral indicators. There is evidence that the CASSS can be used to understand children and adolescents’ perceived social support. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. With recent tragic events in several of the schools in the United States, the general public and news media have been placing a great emphasis on the support that our students are perceiving in schools from adults and peers. Are they supported or rejected by peers? Do adults notice when students are struggling socially or academically in school? These are questions that school personnel and support staff may find themselves asking, yet these staff are not often well-equipped with the tools needed to answer these questions. Furthermore, social support plays an important role in the lives of children, and has been linked to many positive psychological and physical outcomes (East, Hess, & Lerner, 1987; Forman, 1988; Kloomok & Cosden, 1994; Shumaker & Brownell, 1984; Uchino, Cacioppo, & Kiecolt-Glaser, 1996; Wenz-Gross & Siperstein, 1997). This study can help put appropriate measurement tools in the hands of school psychologists and educators to help answer important questions about children’s and adolescents’ perceptions of social support. Specifically, we present a new measure of social support titled the “Child and Adolescent Social Support Scale” (CASSS; Malecki, Demaray, Elliott, & Nolten, 1999). Further investigations of this psychosocial construct may advance our understanding of the role of social support in the lives of children and adolescents and lead to the development of effective psychological interventions for children. A variety of definitions of social support have been proposed. Cobb’s (1976) classic definition consisted of three components of social support: feeling loved, feeling valued or esteemed, and belonging to a social network. Tardy (1985) proposed a model that defined the important aspects of social support. The CASSS is based on Tardy’s model of social support. Tardy’s model addressed five dimensions in the conceptualization of social support: direction, disposition, description/evaluation, content, and network. In this model, direction refers to whether social support is being given or received. There are two dimensions to disposition: availability (what support someone has access to) or enacted (what support someone has utilized). Description / evaluation refers to whether an evaluation of an individual’s social support or simply a description This work is coauthored; order of authorship is random. We would like to acknowledge Stephen N. Elliott, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Donna L. Powless, Wisconsin, and Sara Ousdigian, Minnesota for their contributions to this research. We would also like to thank Christopher Parker, Northern Illinois University, for sharing his statistical expertise with us for some of the analyses.

Interfirm Alliances in the Small Business: The Role of Social Networks

Abstract: In light of the increasing importance of strategic alliances in shaping competition, this study explored whether the social network of small firm executives can be leveraged to facilitate the establishment of interfirm alliances. Analyses are based on a mail survey of 149 small manufacturing firms in the northeast United States. Results indicate that the social networks of senior executives account for 11–22 percent of the variance in the degree to which firms engage in alliances, depending on the type of alliance. Results also show that the number of interfirm alliances is positively related to several networking properties (propensity to network, strength of ties, and network prestige). Findings are discussed in the context of network theory, social embeddedness, and the overall implications for management researchers and practitioners.

Social Capital, Microfinance, and the Politics of Development

Abstract: Policy makers increasingly rely on theories of social capital to fashion development interventions that mobilize local social networks in the alleviation of poverty. The potential of such theory lies in its recognition of the social dimensions of economic growth. This recognition has inspired some innovative approaches to development, such as the now-popular microfinance model. In assessing the implications of these recent developments for feminist objectives of social transformation, this paper evaluates prevailing ideas about social capital (rooted in rational choice theory) against the grain of three alternative approaches: Marxian social capital theories ( A la Pierre Bourdieu), neo-Foucauldian governmentality studies, and my feminist ethnographic research on the social embeddedness of economic practice in a merchant community of Nepal. The paper concludes by bringing these critical insights to bear on possibilities for designing microfinance programs - and practicing a kind of development more genera...

Parents' social networks and beliefs as predictors of parent involvement.

Abstract: Research on parent involvement has tended to characterize parents as relatively isolated individuals who interact with their child and their child's teacher. This study acknowledged that parents are social actors and maintain social networks that may affect the role they play in their children's education. Survey responses were collected from 195 mothers of students in grades 1-5 in 2 elementary schools (1 urban, 1 suburban) in order to analyze the degree to which parents' social networks predicted parent involvement at home and at school, taking into account parental beliefs and background factors. Multiple regression analyses showed that the size of parents' social network predicted the degree to which parents were involved at home or at school. Furthermore, different networks predicted different types of parent involvement. The research highlighted the importance of examining both individual beliefs and social networks as influences on parent involvement and suggested that parents' social networks can ...

Returns to social network capital among traders

Abstract: Using data on agricultural traders in Madagascar, this paper shows that social capital has a large effect on efficiency. Better connected traders have significantly larger sales and gross margins than less connected traders after controlling for physical and human inputs as well as for entrepreneur characteristics. The analysis indicates that three dimensions of social network capital should be distinguished: relationships with other traders, which help firms economize on transactions costs; relationships with individuals who can help in times of financial difficulties, which insure traders against liquidity risk; and family relationships, which reduce efficiency, possibly because of measurement error. Social network capital enables traders to deal with each other in a more trustworthy manner by granting and receiving credit, exchanging price information, and economizing on quality inspection.

Ethnic Boundaries and Identity in Plural Societies

Abstract: ▪ Abstract This paper reviews studies of ethnicity in plural societies. The literature concentrates on the social networks of ethnic groups, the use of social capital derived from these networks, and ethnic identity. I give particular attention to studies that consider how interpersonal networks within ethnic communities influence the degree of closure in social boundaries and the degree to which ethnic identity is retained. Most of the studies considered here have been published during the past two decades. However, a few earlier studies are considered so as to frame recent work in an appropriate context. Two main research foci characterize contemporary studies—forms of economic action undertaken by the immigrant generation and the socialization experiences of their offspring. Related areas of study also addressed in this review include how participation in ethnic churches, metropolitan and regional concentrations of ethnic populations, and transnationalism influence ethnic groups' experiences. I conclud...

Placing social capital

Abstract: This paper reviews the contribution that the concept of social capital might make to geography, and the contribution geography might make to the analysis of social capital. We begin by summarizing the conceptual origins and dimensions of social capital, in the process of which we distinguish it from several other social properties (human and cultural capital; social networks). We then summarize key criticisms of the concept, especially those levelled at the work of Robert Putnam. The core of the paper is a discussion of the issue of whether there might be a geography of social capital. We consider links between geographical debates and the concept of social capital, and we assess the difficulties of deriving spatially disaggregated measures of social capital. We illustrate this discussion with reference to literature on three sets of issues: the question of 'institutional tissue' and its effects on regional development; the understanding of health inequalities; and the analysis of comparative government performance. In conclusion, we argue that the popularity of the concept reflects a combination of academic and political developments, notably the search for ostensibly 'costless' policies of redistribution on the part of centrist governments. We therefore conclude with a discussion of the practical applications of the concept in different contexts.

The Workplace Social Exchange Network A Multilevel, Conceptual Examination

Abstract: In this article, the authors present a framework (the Workplace Social Exchange Network) that draws from multiple streams of social exchange research. The authors attempt to provide an integrative, cross-level theory for understanding the diverse social exchanges that occur in the work-place. Within the workplace, there are a number of social exchanges that may take place between an individual and (a) the organization, (b) their supervisor, and (c) their work group. Surprisingly, researchers have overlooked the influence of social exchanges between employees and their work groups. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first article that collectively discusses the influences and interactions between the three predominate social exchange domains. In addition, the authors provide testable propositions that specify relationships between domains of exchange relationships, moderating organizational factors, and employee outcomes.

Social networks and changes in contraceptive use over time: evidence from a longitudinal study in rural Kenya.

Abstract: The impacts of social networks on changes in contraception in rural Kenya are investigated using special data from a longitudinal household survey. An analytic model, informed by detailed knowledge of the setting, yielded estimates that indicate that (1) social networks have substantial effects even after unobserved factors (e.g., homophily) that may determine social networks are controlled; (2) controlling for these unobserved factors may substantially alter the estimated effects of networks (these controls were not used in previous studies); (3) network effects are important for both men and women; and (4) network effects are nonlinear and asymmetric, suggesting that networks provide information primarily through social learning, rather than by exerting social influence.

Network Learning: Exploring Learning by Interorganizational Networks

Abstract: The importance of interorganizational networks in supporting or hindering the achievement of organizational objectives is now widely acknowledged. Network research is directed at understanding network processes and structures, and their impact upon performance. A key process is learning. The concepts of individual, group and organizational learning are long established. This article argues that learning might also usefully be regarded as occurring at a fourth system level, the interorganizational network. The concept of network learning - learning by a group of organizations as a group - is presented, and differentiated from other types of learning, notably interorganizational learning (learning in interorganizational contexts). Four cases of network learning are identified and analysed to provide insights into network learning processes and outcomes. It is proposed that 'network learning episode' offers a suitable unit of analysis for the empirical research needed to develop our understanding of this potentially important concept.

Integrating communication and information through ContactMap

Abstract: Visualizing personal social networks, the system allows users to model and arrange their own in maps of individual contacts and groups, along with the relationships among them.

Interlocal Agreements as Overlapping Social Networks: Picket–Fence Regionalism in Metropolitan Kansas City

Abstract: Public policies addressing complex issues require transjurisdictional solutions, challenging hierarchical modes of public–service delivery. Interlocal agreements (ILAs) are long–established service–delivery instruments for local governments, and research suggests they are plentiful, with a majority of cities and counties involved in at least one ILA. Although ILAs are an established feature of local government operations, previous research is atheoretical, largely descriptive, and unsystematic. This article explores ILAs as social network phenomena, identifying the rationales and underlying values for various ILAs, central and peripheral actors, and brokering roles. In particular, we explore the utility of incorporating network exchange theory into public management network models to identify the relative power of actors in network exchange relationships. We find that a “norm of reciprocity” culture predominates an economizing value as the rationale for an abundance of service–oriented policy networks that produce a picket–fence regionalism of ILA participation in the Kansas City metropolitan area.

Dictionary of the social sciences

Abstract: The Dictionary of the Social Sciences is a comprehensive reference work with over 1700 entries ranging from fifty to five hundred words covering topics such as anthropology, sociology, economics, political science, cultural studies, human and cultural geography, and Marxism. The Dictionary is aimed at students and scholars who need ready access to defined terms in a social science outside of their immediate area of expertise, for example an economist needing information regarding a political science term. The question 'What are the social sciences?' is one to which no final answer can be given, since - like other groupings of scientific and academic fields - the social sciences differ in their scope from one generation to another. There are also within-generation differences: witness the continuing controversies over whether history should be considered as one of the social sciences or as a humanistic discipline; whether geography is an independent social science or a synthetic discipline that draws upon both the social sciences and the earth sciences; whether law is a social science or a body of professional and philosophical knowledge; whether psychology belongs with the social or the natural sciences; and whether psychiatry is a social science or a branch of medicine. While the proposed dictionary will reflect the contemporary concerns of the editors, entries will certainly represent social anthropology, economics, political sciences, sociology, and statistical methodologies. The Dictinary will necessary avoid a thorough overview of these disciplines - the criteria for inclusion will limit entries to those topics in each area that will be of interest to trans-disciplinary users. A thematically organized bibliography will also be included.

Characterizing relationships in social networks

Abstract: Relationships among members of a social network are automatically characterized by determining the pattern and purposes of electronic messages communicated between such members. By leveraging an organization's existing messaging infrastructure, the present invention can inexpensively and unobtrusively provide management with insights into interpersonal interactions that are either helpful or harmful to the performance of high-impact teams. Such insights are useful in mitigating human interactional problem areas, improving individual and group performance, and in team building and self-assessment or research activities.

Does the degree of redundancy in social networks influence the success of business start‐ups?

Abstract: Entrepreneurs use their social network to start businesses. According to Burt, low redundancy in the social network promotes entrepreneurial success. In non‐redundant networks the entrepreneurs’ contacts do not know each other and rarely have the same information. Low network redundancy gives entrepreneurs better information and it allows entrepreneurs to combine resources from non‐redundant sources. In contrast, when there is high redundancy the contacts know each other and may provide the same information. However, our study cannot confirm this hypothesis. Using data on 100 entrepreneurs in Norway we find that simple measures such as the number and strength of ties are more important for entrepreneurs than redundancy because many weak and strong ties increase the entrepreneur’s access to resources. We find that much redundancy is beneficial. Entrepreneurs get information and support more easily if they have many ties with redundant relations.

Effects of gender in social control of smoking cessation.

Abstract: This study of 93 men and 117 women smokers during an ongoing quit attempt examined the roles of gender and social network influences on quitting. For men, social influences appeared to positively affect their ability to reduce their smoking but were less effective for women. Specifically, increased reports of a spouse or partner's influence, and family and friends' influence, were associated with greater reductions in men's smoking 2 days and 4 months post quit date, respectively. In contrast, for women, greater reports of spouse or partner influence and of family and friends' influence were associated with smaller reductions in smoking. Sex differences in social control strategies and perceived autonomy supportiveness of those strategies are discussed as possible explanations for these results.

The ties that heal: Guatemalan immigrant women's networks and medical treatment

Abstract: Using participant observation and in-depth interviews with ladina and indigenous Guatemalan immigrant women, this article examines the intricate social networks - both local and transnational - through which these immigrants obtain treatment for their own and their families' illnesses. Although Guatemalan women also relied on ties with friends, families and acquaintances to obtain a cure in their country, these ties acquire more significance within the broader U.S. politicoeconomic context that restricts their medical choices. Under these conditions, these women's informal networks become key in putting within reach a variety of treatments that include prescription drugs (obtained over the counter) and “traditional” medicines, which are acquired both locally and from contacts back home. Giving and receiving help through these social networks, however, is a negotiated process punctuated by disillusions, tension, and frustration as much as by cohesiveness and support.