Networks of relationships help determine the careers that people choose, the jobs they obtain, the products they buy, and how they vote. The many aspects of our lives that are governed by social networks make it critical to understand how they impact behavior, which network structures are likely to emerge in a society, and why we organize ourselves as we do. In Social and Economic Networks, Matthew Jackson offers a comprehensive introduction to social and economic networks, drawing on the latest findings in economics, sociology, computer science, physics, and mathematics. He provides empirical background on networks and the regularities that they exhibit, and discusses random graph-based models and strategic models of network formation. He helps readers to understand behavior in networked societies, with a detailed analysis of learning and diffusion in networks, decision making by individuals who are influenced by their social neighbors, game theory and markets on networks, and a host of related subjects. Jackson also describes the varied statistical and modeling techniques used to analyze social networks. Each chapter includes exercises to aid students in their analysis of how networks function. This book is an indispensable resource for students and researchers in economics, mathematics, physics, sociology, and business.

Reveals how consumer choice can be better understood andinfluenced using social networks analysis (SNA) Intuitively, we all appreciate that we can be influenced by ourfriends and peers in what we do, how we behave, and what productswe consume. Until recently, it has been difficult to measure thisinterdependence, mainly because data on social networks wasdifficult to collect and not readily available. More and morecompanies such as mobile phone carriers or social networking sitessuch as Facebook are collecting such data electronically. DanielBirke illustrates in compelling real-world case studies howcompanies use social networks for marketing purposes and whichstatistical analysis and unique datasets can be used. Social Networks and their Economics: Explores network effects and the analysis of social networks,whilst providing an overview of the state-of-the art research. Looks at consumption interdependences between friends andpeers: Who is influencing who through which channels and to whatdegree? Presents statistical methods and research techniques that canbe used in the analysis of social networks. Examines SNA and its practical application for marketingpurposes. Features a supporting website ahref="http://www.wiley.com/go/social_networks"www.wiley.com/go/social_networks/a featuring SNA visualizations and business case studies. Aimed at post-graduate students involved in social networkanalysis, industrial economics, innovation and consumer marketing,this book offers a unique perspective from both an academic andpractitioner point of view on how social networks can helpunderstand and influence consumer behaviour. This book will proveto be a useful resource for marketing practitioners from companieswhere social network data is available and for consulting companieswho advise businesses on marketing and social media related issues.

Publisher description

The Oxford Handbook of the Economics of Networks represents the frontier of research into how and why networks they form, how they influence behavior, how they help govern outcomes in an interactive world, and how they shape collective decision making, opinion formation, and diffusion dynamics. From a methodological perspective, the contributors to this volume devote attention to theory, field experiments, laboratory experiments, and econometrics. Theoretical work in network formation, games played on networks, repeated games, and the interaction between linking and behavior is synthesized. A number of chapters are devoted to studying social process mediated by networks. Topics here include opinion formation, diffusion of information and disease, and learning. There are also chapters devoted to financial contagion and systemic risk, motivated in part by the recent financial crises. Another section discusses communities, with applications including social trust, favor exchange, and social collateral; the importance of communities for migration patterns; and the role that networks and communities play in the labor market. A prominent role of networks, from an economic perspective, is that they mediate trade. Several chapters cover bilateral trade in networks, strategic intermediation, and the role of networks in international trade. Contributions discuss as well the role of networks for organizations. On the one hand, one chapter discusses the role of networks for the performance of organizations, while two other chapters discuss managing networks of consumers and pricing in the presence of network-based spillovers. Finally, the authors discuss the internet as a network with attention to the issue of net neutrality.

Here is a fresh, intriguing, and, above all, authoritative book about how our sometimes hidden positions in various social structures—our human networks—shape how we think and behave, and inform our very outlook on life. Inequality, social immobility, and political polarization are only a few crucial phenomena driven by the inevitability of social structures. Social structures determine who has power and influence, account for why people fail to assimilate basic facts, and enlarge our understanding of patterns of contagion—from the spread of disease to financial crises. Despite their primary role in shaping our lives, human networks are often overlooked when we try to account for our most important political and economic practices. Matthew O. Jackson brilliantly illuminates the complexity of the social networks in which we are—often unwittingly—positioned and aims to facilitate a deeper appreciation of why we are who we are. Ranging across disciplines—psychology, behavioral economics, sociology, and business—and rich with historical analogies and anecdotes, The Human Network provides a galvanizing account of what can drive success or failure in life.

In this book, the authors illustrate how social networks can play a very significant role in the technological catch up process in moderate innovative countries. Using an innovative approach to the study of entrepreneurship in knowledge-intensive sectors, the book analyses the role of social networks in the access and deployment of the variety of competences and resources required for the successful creation of knowledge-intensive companies, which has not yet been studied sufficiently in this context.

Reveals how consumer choice can be better understood and influenced using social networks analysis (SNA) Intuitively, we all appreciate that we can be influenced by our friends and peers in what we do, how we behave, and what products we consume. Until recently, it has been difficult to measure this interdependence, mainly because data on social networks was difficult to collect and not readily available. More and more companies such as mobile phone carriers or social networking sites such as Facebook are collecting such data electronically. Daniel Birke illustrates in compelling real-world case studies how companies use social networks for marketing purposes and which statistical analysis and unique datasets can be used. Social Networks and their Economics: Explores network effects and the analysis of social networks, whilst providing an overview of the state-of-the art research. Looks at consumption interdependences between friends and peers: Who is influencing who through which channels and to what degree? Presents statistical methods and research techniques that can be used in the analysis of social networks. Examines SNA and its practical application for marketing purposes. Features a supporting website www.wiley.com/go/social_networks featuring SNA visualizations and business case studies. Aimed at post-graduate students involved in social network analysis, industrial economics, innovation and consumer marketing, this book offers a unique perspective from both an academic and practitioner point of view on how social networks can help understand and influence consumer behaviour. This book will prove to be a useful resource for marketing practitioners from companies where social network data is available and for consulting companies who advise businesses on marketing and social media related issues.