When Watts and Strogatz published their findings in the leading science journal Nature, it triggered an explosion of media coverage. But it also sparked interest among academics in a diverse range of fields, all wondering whether small world effects are at work in their own patches.

The corporate world does show signs of being under the influence of small world effects, according to Bruce Kogut of the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, and Gordon Walker at the Cox School of Business at the Southern Methodist University in Texas.

Kogut and Walker applied Watts and Strogatz's methods to the ownership networks spanning over 500 of Germany's biggest corporations. Predictably, they found lots of cliques in the ownership of firms, the result of various tie-ups and mergers. But they also found that the short-circuiting effect of a few corporations typically allowed the ownership of any one firm to be linked to any other via just four intermediaries. In other words, for all their diversity, Germany's biggest firms actually form a cosy small world.

This explains why firms with apparently tenuous links to one another can still show similar corporate behavior. But it may also have implications for the way these companies deal with globalization.

Small world theory shows it only takes a few random links to short-circuit a vast network. So it's likely that the whole corporate world has already become a small world.

The study of small worlds is still in its infancy, yet it is already clear that their presence holds both benefits and threats. Economists and Business studies experts are likely to reveal many more examples of small worlds and their implications in the years ahead.

Selling on eBay and the Internet is still a relatively a new phenomenon with unprecedented opportunity. Adam Ginsberg, recently featured on NBC's Today Show is an author and educator and has built a small fortune selling on eBay. As an early Internet pioneer, Adam discovered a system for generating wealth - through the power of the ebay marketplace.

Adam personally sold over $20,000,000 on eBay and the Internet in the last three years. Currently he travels the world sharing his knowledge, expertise and experience with others. Adam's book, "How to Buy, Sell & Profit on eBay", went to #1 on Amazon within 3 days of being released. Learn how Adam has solved the mystery of success on ebay and how you can apply his system to capitalize on this hot new money making opportunity. Adam has also created several best selling e-books and software to enable you to enhance your ability to succeed. You can learn more at http://www.adamginsberg.com

PrevPage  [1] [2] [3]