Ties between individuals on a social network can represent different dimensions of interactions, and the spreading of information and innovations on these networks could potentially be driven by some dimensions more than by others. In this paper we investigate this issue by studying the diffusion of microfinance within rural India villages and accounting for the whole multilayer structure of the underlying social networks. We define a new measure of node centrality, diffusion versatility, and show that this is a better predictor of microfinance participation rate than previously introduced measures defined on aggregated single-layer social networks. Moreover, we untangle the role played by each social dimension and find that the most prominent role is played by the nodes that are central on layers concerned with trust, shedding new light on the key triggers of the diffusion of microfinance.
Untangling the role of diverse social dimensions in the diffusion of microfinance
Elisa Omodei and Alex Arenas
Applied Network Science20161:14
DOI: 10.1007/s41109-016-0016-x
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Complexity Digest
Thanks to Maria Popova of Brainpickings.org for this fabulous precis of John Gardner's Self-Renewal: The Individual and the Innovative Society from 1964. It is such a good reminder of how long these ideas have been with us and it reminds me to keep reflecting on the past in order to shape the future. My fav concept "stability in motion" :)