DAVE GRIFFITHSUNIVERSITY OF STIRLING

18TH SEPTEMBER 2009

Analysing Multiple Types of Connections within a

Network

What do networks attempt to measure?Limitations in knowing what to analyseLimitations in researching elitesMethods available for understanding

structure across spheres of influence

Network analysis analyses networks

Network theory is about analysing ties between actors

How we define ‘ties’ determines the meaning we generate

In many situations, there are multiple types of ‘ties’ available * school friends – classroom, lunchtime or at home

How do we prioritise what types of ties are important?

Problem within Elites research

Researching elites and power an important sociological concept

Useem’s (1984) Inner Circle details how controlling elites know each other

How do we define how people ‘know’ each other?* mutual board memberships mask personality clashes* clubs not always frequented* who knows who is invited to each others homes

Data we hold might be misleading; most relevant data unobtainable

Problem with interlocking directorates

We regard two companies as well-connected if they hold a mutual board member

We analyse the network of companies connected by mutual board members

Bart’s (1982) Structural Hole theory suggests connections between boards facilitated by one individual are not well-connected

Therefore, do mutual board membership ties tell us much about how information can flow through boards of governance?

Does information only flow through board meetings?

Research question

How do we analyse various modes of relationships between actors, without drowning in data?

Which types of ties do we focus upon, and which can be ignored?

How do you measure the centre of a network when it alters under every type of tie studied?

Methodology

Data collected on 187 UK quangos* more specifically, on their 2,858 directors

All information published by quangos and biographical directories coded, including* school and university attended* corporate and charitable directorships* employers* memberships of professional associations and private clubs* institutions awarding honorary degrees

Data coded as whether present (as of 01/01/07) or previous

27 different networks constructed linking quangos through these assorted ‘ties’

Density of networks ranged from .04 to .54

Basic overview of networks

Boards Component K-core Degree Closeness Diameter

Affiliations to professional bodies 176 176 126 (127) .26943 .32130 3

Boards 187 98 3 (6) .03516 .13335 17

Charities 165 130 9 (10) .12023 .22598 7

Charity - previous 120 67 9 (10) .12505 .30962 8

Clubs 133 124 40 (41) .43673 .43540 7

Corporate Advisor 94 21 3 (7) .05633 .34270 6

Current Educational Links 160 148 17 (35) .36088 .36892 5

Directorships 159 52 4 (5) .03729 .12443 18

Editorial 62 5 3 (4) .05355 .60000 2

Educational 147 111 7 (8) .14436 .27324 6

Educational - Previous 104 52 6 (7) .07862 .31774 8

Employment 160 134 19 (20) .22570 .29808 8

Honorary Degree 119 116 22 (38) .53571 .51388 4

Membership 88 45 16 (17) .22106 .35480 5

Other quangos 156 131 9 (10) .10105 .24863 7

Previous NED 111 27 3 (8) .04487 .21638 9

Professional 169 137 20 (21) .22045 .30765 7

Professional - Previous 146 114 27 (28) .24195 .32511 6

Quango Advisor 170 148 19 (20) .21753 .25898 6

Quango Advisor - previous 156 122 11 (22) .18752 .29341 7

Quango - Previous 158 132 11 (39) .20072 .26708 5

School 166 133 14 (15) .14605 .25675 7

Social organisations 171 129 11 (12) .12162 .25161 7

Social organisations – previous 148 68 11 (12) .11350 .28496 9

University 169 169 56 (112) .40722 .44301 4

University – grouped colleges 169 169 105 (125) .23884 .31993 3

Visiting Professor 87 64 8 (9) .23488 .34140 7

The problem of merging data

More manageable networks

Affiliations Charities

CompaniesSchool

Interlocking quangocrats

What do we analyse?

Multiple levels of connections between quangosDifferent descriptions lead to important network

differences occuringTherefore, research question needs to

contextualise what types of connections we measure

When we are studying elites and connections, however, all potential ties are important in their own ways

A method of identifying the most important types of ties is important

Relationship between degree and centrality

200150100500

Degree

1.0000000

0.9000000

0.8000000

0.7000000

0.6000000

0.5000000

0.4000000

Closeness

140120100806040200

Degree

0.9000000

0.8000000

0.7000000

0.6000000

0.5000000

0.4000000

0.3000000

Closness

100806040200

Degree

0.7000000

0.6000000

0.5000000

0.4000000

0.3000000

0.2000000

0.1000000

0.0000000

Closeness

6050403020100

Degree

0.4000000

0.2000000

0.0000000

Closeness

Corporate and quango ties

86420

Degree

0.1200000

0.1000000

0.0800000

0.0600000

0.0400000

0.0200000

0.0000000

Closeness

76543210

Degree

0.07

0.06

0.05

0.04

0.03

0.02

0.01

0

Closeness

Quangos Companies

Degree and centrality in two-mode

706050403020100

Degree

0.2500000

0.2000000

0.1500000

0.1000000

0.0500000

0.0000000

Closeness

2520151050

Degree

0.3500000

0.3000000

0.2500000

0.2000000

0.1500000

0.1000000

0.0500000

0.0000000

Closeness

302520151050

Degree

0.2000000

0.1500000

0.1000000

0.0500000

0.0000000

Closeness

35302520151050

Degree

0.2500000

0.2000000

0.1500000

0.1000000

0.0500000

0.0000000

Closeness

Identifying the most central organisation

Component analysis = how many times an institution appears in the largest component

Core analysis = how many times an institution appears in the tightest core of the network

Therefore, which quangos are consistently in the best positions, and which are consistently in the worse?

Most connected quangos

Arts and Humanities Research Council; Audit Commission; Bank of England; BBC; Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council; British Council; British Museum; Channel 4; Culture North West; Economic and Social Research Council; English Heritage; English Partnership; Environment Agency; Health Protection Agency; Heritage Lottery Fund; Higher Education Funding Council; Historic Royal Palaces; Imperial War Museum; Learning and Skills Council; Medical Research Council; National Consumer Council; National Maritime Museum; National Museum of Science and Industry; National Museums Liverpool; National Portrait Gallery; Natural Environment Research Council; North West Development Agency; Northern Lighthouse Board; Nuclear Decommissioning Authority; Qualifications and Curriculum Authority; Quality Improvement Agency; Royal Botanic Gardens Kew; Tate; Victoria and Albert Museum; VisitBritain

Least connected quangos

Agricultural Wages Board; British Potato Council; British Shipbuilders; Commission for Patient And Public Involvement; Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority; Culture South West; Energywatch; Engineering Construction Industry Training Board; Firebuy; Football Licensing Authority; Home-Grown Cereals Authority; Horticultural Development Council; Independent Living Funds; Investors in People; LEASE; Living East; Meat and Livestock Commission; Milk Development Council; Oil and Pipelines Agency; Office of the Children’s Commissioner; Parole Board; Partnerships for Schools; Public Lending Right; Remploy; Royal Marines Museum; Royal Navy Submarine Museum; S4C; Security Industry Authority; Stonebridge HAT; Tote; Trinity House; Valuation Tribunal Service.

Most marginalised quangos

Components Cores

Railway Heritage Committee 16 5

for School Leadership 16 4

Legal Services Commission 16 3

Forensic Sciences Service 15 5

Health and Safety Commission/Executive 15 4

Atomic Energy Authority 15 3

Culture North East 14 5

Culture 14 3

Healthcare Commission 14 3

Police Intelligence and Training Organisation 14 3

Royal Mail 14 3

Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation 14 3

National Army Museum 13 5

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority 13 4

London Thames Gateway Development Corporation 13 4

Olympic Lottery Distributor 13 4

Gambling Commission 13 3

Film Council 13 3

Youth Justice Board for and 13 3

Market Trust 12 5

General Social Care Council 12 5

General Teaching Council 12 5

British Waterways 12 4

Sport 12 3

British Hallmarking Council 12 2

Office for Fair Access 12 2

Churches Conservations Trust 11 3

Sport 11 3

Civil Aviation Authority 11 2

Central narrative

Corporate interests lowly prioritised within quango networks

Little evidence of occupancy of multiple quango boards

Consistency amongst other indicators of social connections between directors

Ties to the cultural elite creates connectionsMultiple types of interest important; strongly

bonding to one type lessens network position

Conclusions

Empirical meaning can be gathered from exploring the full range of potential connections between actors

Analysing the differences between networks in terms of impact of degree on centrality can identify which types of connections are atypical

If consistent structures can be observed, you can start to create your narrative of what is occurring