Article,
Scale-Free Networks. The Impact of Fat Tailed Degree Distribution on Diffusion and Communication Processes
Wirtschaftsinformatik, 48 (4): 267-275 (2006)
Abstract
The study of network topologies provides interesting insights into
the way the principles on
which the construction of connected systems are based influence diffusion
dynamics and
communication processes in many socio-technical systems.
Empirical research has shown that there are principles for the construction
of social networks
and their technical derivatives, like e-mail networks, the Internet,
publication coauthoring,
or business collaboration.
Such real world networks attach new members over time and the mode
of attachment
prefers existing members that are already well connected. This principle
is called �preferential
attachment� and leads to the emergence of �scale-free� networks.
Scale-free networks seem to be a better fit for the description of
real world networks than
the random networks used so far. Their behavior in terms of diffusion
and communication
processes is fundamentally different from that of random networks.
To illustrate the value of scale-free networks for applications in
information systems research,
examples will be given to illustrate their usefulness for real world
network modeling.
A communication network of security traders will show what impact
network topology
has on the dynamics of complex socio-technical systems.
