The Impact of the Subgroup Structure on the Evolution of Networks: An Economic Model of Network Evolution

Kibae Kim (), Jörn Altmann and Junseok Hwang
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Junseok Hwang: Technology Management, Economics, and Policy Program (TEMEP), Seoul National University

No 201056, TEMEP Discussion Papers from Seoul National University; Technology Management, Economics, and Policy Program (TEMEP)

Abstract: One of the most important properties of self-organized networks is their scale-free property. Prior research proved empirically and theoretically that scale-free networks emerge under the preferential attachment rule. However, a few empirical studies also show that empirical networks diverge from the structure of scale-free networks. Empirical networks exhibit a lower exponent of the power law distribution than constructed scale-free networks. Our research aims at establishing a simple evolutionary network model that explains this difference. The results of our model suggest that there are two reasons for this discrepancy. First, as already known, additional links between existing nodes distort the scale-free feature. Second, boundaries between subgroups (groups of network nodes) distort the degree distribution. In general, we believe that our evolutionary model may be applicable not only to describe the structural evolution of networks but also to make network design recommendations in a variety of areas such as WWW-hyperlink networks, business collaboration networks, Peer-To-Peer Networks, and Web2.0 service networks.

Keywords: Social network analysis; scale-free networks; self-organization; evolutionary model; network design; network science; network modeling. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C02 C15 C65 D02 D85 L11 L14 L86 M15 M21 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 24 pages
Date: 2010-02, Revised 2010-02
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-evo, nep-net and nep-soc
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

Published in NetSciCom2010, IEEE International Workshop on Network Science for Communication Networks, in conjunction with IEEE Infocom 2010, San Diego, USA, March 2010

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http://temep-repec.my-groups.de/DP-56.pdf First version, 2010 (application/pdf)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:snv:dp2009:201056

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