Network connectivity — How connected are you? And Why you should care.
Human Connections are social capital.
Today we are going to understand the importance of one of the simplest networks metrics and one of the most important :
Degrees of distribution (connectivity)
Degree of connectivity — This can tell us how fast a new event such as Covid-19 or gossip about a neighbour or friend can spread in a network. The higher the connectivity, the higher and faster the spreading will be.
But why you should care about your degree of connectivity?
Getting Crucial information first
There are several reasons, to cite but a few: The more connections you have in a network, compared with the total possible number of connections, the faster you get local and crucial information and news. Wouldn’t you like to know first-hand that there is a new mortal virus circulating in town? Or that if you invest in specific companies of the 500 this month you can gain a lot of money? Science investigations show that actors with the highest degree of connectivity will receive better information and faster than those that are poorly connected.
Higher chances to find a Romantic pair
Second, the more people you interact with, the higher the probability you will find someone who interests you or is interested in you. Some scientists of networks discovered that making part of many different types of networks can accelerate the chances of finding friends and boys or girlfriends.
Achieve high Levels of Influence
Third, the most influential individuals in human societies are not only those with more economic or political power but also those that know more people and make part of diverse networks. The more known you are in your field and related ones, the faster you can build credibility, which is crucial for achieving success rates of influenceability.
For example, the so-called leaders, people who hold central positions in organisations and communities tend to have the biggest connectivity and influence of all. What about you, How connected are you?
References and Further reading:
Linked: How Everything Is Connected to Everything Else and What It Means for Business, Science, and Everyday Life, Albert-László Barabási e Jennifer Frangos.
Borgatti, S. P., & Cross, R. (2003). A relational view of information seeking and learning in social networks. Management Science, 49, 432−445.
Brass, D. J. (1995). A social network perspective on human resources management. In G. R. Ferris (Ed.), Research in Personnel and HumanResources Management (pp. 39−79). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press
