Structural cohesion and embeddedness in two-mode networks. Issue 4 (2nd October 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cornwell, Benjamin; Burchard, Jake
• Is Part Of: Journal of mathematical sociology. Volume 43:Issue 4(2019)
• Page Start: 179
• Page End: 194
• Publication Date: 2019-10-02
• Subjects: Cohesion -- embeddedness -- subgroup -- two-mode network -- organization -- elites; Sociology -- Periodicals; Sociology -- Mathematical models -- Periodicals; 301.0151
• DOI: 10.1080/0022250X.2019.1606806
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-250X

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The detection of structural cohesion is a key utility of social network analysis, but little work has been done to refine the detection of structural cohesion in two-mode networks. Most work on cohesion in two-mode networks either: (1) attempts to detect cohesion in such networks using one-mode projections (which can be problematic for reasons we discuss); or (2) focuses on restrictive substructures like bi-cliques to identify cohesive subgroups. We propose a new strategy for two-mode networks that follows the general reasoning of approaches to detecting structural cohesion in one-mode networks. Our approach identifies the number of actors from one node set that may be removed before disconnecting actors in the opposite set. We also develop a definition of embeddedness that draws on Moody and White's hierarchical nesting approach.