Network Structure

This section introduces ways of describing the structure of a network.

Understanding structure helps us interpret how nodes are connected and how information or influence might flow.

Structural holes

A structural hole exists when two nodes (or groups) are not directly connected.

A node that connects these otherwise unconnected parts of the network can act as a broker.

brokers may control or mediate information
they can connect groups that would otherwise remain separate

Note

Brokers aren’t necessarily the most connected — they are the most strategically positioned.

These two clusters are not directly connected. The only way information can pass between them is through the broker which acts as a connecting tie between two otherwise disconnected parts of the network. It is possible to have two reciprocal brokers with a bridging tie.

Bridging ties

Bridging ties are connections that link different parts of a network.

These ties are often:

less frequent or weaker
but important for connecting otherwise separate groups

Bridging ties help networks become more connected overall.

Density

Density describes how connected a network is overall.

It is calculated as:

the number of actual connections
divided by the number of possible connections
High density → many connections
Low density → fewer connections

Dense networks tend to be more tightly connected.