ABSTRACT
Networks are everywhere. In physics there are electrical circuits; in civil engineering there are structures such as bridge trusses; in information technology there are telephones and the Internet; while in geography there are transport systems, such as motorways and railway systems. Agriculture and industry depend upon distribution systems (pipelines, electricity grids) and disposal systems (drainage ditches, sewage systems). In biology the brain is analyzed as a network of neurons, and in anthropology family networks are created and sustained through reproduction. Economists refer to networks of trade, investment and technology transfer when discussing international and inter-regional resource fl ows. Sociologists analyze social groups in terms of interpersonal networks and use network effects to explain ‘chain migration’ fl ows, while business strategists analyze networks of strategic alliances between fi rms.
