Lecture 2

Question 1

Definition of a network

Answer 1

A set of nodes and ties representing some relationship, or lack of relationship, between the nodes

Question 2

… are at least as important for the explanation of social, political and organizational phenomena as …

Answer 2

Relations, attributes

Question 3

Types of relational data

Answer 3

• Directed vs undirected
• Symmetric vs asymmetric
• Binary vs valued
• Multiplex ties

Question 4

Social capital and its characteristics

Answer 4

The advantage created by an actor’s location in a structure of relationships. It is productive, comes about through changes in the relations, is specific to certain activities and is the least tangible of all forms of capital.

Question 5

Burt’s (1992) Structural hole argument

Answer 5

Non-redundancy in view of efficiency → brokerage

Question 6

Coleman’s (1988) Closure argument

Answer 6

Redundancy in view of trust and sanctions → closure

Question 7

Coleman’s (1988) closure characteristics

Answer 7

Closure provides social capital, is important for the existence of effective norms, creates trustworthiness and secures information flows

Question 8

Burt’s (2005) Brokerage characteristics

Answer 8

Brokerage provides early access to a wider diversity of information, and provides control of the diffusion thereof

Question 9

Adaption mechanism

Answer 9

Nodes become homogenous as a result of interaction with similar social environments

Question 10

Binding mechanism

Answer 10

Social ties bind nodes together and form a new entity with different properties

Question 11

Clustering

Answer 11

Firms are connected with many other firms interorganizationally. The network is highly clustered

Question 12

Reach

Answer 12

The extent to which a firm has small distance ties to many other firms

Question 13

Clustering coefficient

Answer 13

Clustering = (3 • № of triangles) / № of connected triples