Morphology and Entropy in Networks

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Author(s): Ton van Asseldonk (TVA developments bv, The Netherlands), Erik den Hartigh (Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands)and Leon Berger (Nyenrode University, The Netherlands)
Copyright: 2008
Pages: 7
Source title: Encyclopedia of Networked and Virtual Organizations
Source Author(s)/Editor(s): Goran D. Putnik (University of Minho, Portugal)and Maria Manuela Cruz-Cunha (Polytechnic Institute of Cavado and Ave, Portugal)
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-59904-885-7.ch126

Keywords: Information Science Reference / Media & Communications / Social Computing / Virtual Communities & Virtual Reality

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Abstract

This article concerns the relation between the morphology (concentration and connectivity) and the entropy of networked structures. We will introduce the network morphology concept, we will address two approaches to network characterization--traditional network measures and the concept of entropy--and we will link the entropy concept to the network characteristics. It will be shown that entropy will grow steeply if a certain balance between connectivity and concentration is disturbed. It is known from theory that the morphology of a business network, be within an organization or between organizations, greatly affects the behavior of agents in the network (Ahuja, 2000; Burt, 1992; Coleman, 1988; Gulati, 1999; Powell, Koput, & Smith-Doerr, 1996; Walker, Kogut & Shan 1997). Also it is known that the morphology of networks is an important determinant of the extent of innovation diffusion (Abrahamson & Rosenkopf, 1997; Den Hartigh, 2005). It is therefore important to explore further some basic notions of network morphology.

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