Comments on: Granovetter’s Weak Ties – How Weak Is Weak?

By: Phil Holden

Phil Holden — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 16:50:41 +0000

I think there is a further level of misunderstanding here. The ‘value’ of weak ties is a point at issue.
A weak tie that is barely extant is (almost) infinitely more valuable than a tie which exists only, as it were, by definition.
Further comparison of the above weak tie with a very strong tie shows that the latter consumes considerably more resources in maintenance.
It follows then that incremental ROI (to use that business related term) must be greater from weaker than from stronger ties.
Tools that make it even easier to establish and exploit such weak ties (reducing their cost) are, naturally, seized upon.
A further interesting point is that these tools (online social networking) become increasingly attractive for maintaining otherwise strong ties precisely because they reduce maintenance costs.

By: Bruce Lewin

Bruce Lewin — Thu, 17 Aug 2006 11:43:49 +0000

Thanks for the clarification

I often smile at how definitions and understanding changes as it reaches new audiences and how, as a result, the originator must be (potentially) irritated (or not, as the case may be).

Clayton Christensen’s distruptive technology often falls victim to similar ‘definition disaster!’

By: Valdis

Valdis — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 23:39:14 +0000

Right on Scott… it is good to have allies…

I’m sure the Professor thinks so too!