Tie Utility

The Value and Strength of Ties

There are many important works that examine the value of ties. Mark Granovetter studied how weak ties can provide different advantages to actors in a network. His seminal research suggested that weak ties are more likely to serve as bridges between different network clusters. These ties give individuals access to networks with which they are not usually affiliated and offer information and resources they could not obtain from their strong ties. Taking a different approach, David Krackhardt addressed the influence and power of strong ties. Findings showed that strong ties based on trust and affection can help reduce resistance to change and provide comfort in uncertain situations, and indicated that those members who had strong ties were more likely to offer emotional support and trust each others' opinions.

Contrasting views relating to the strength of ties can often come from different indicators. Although researchers make valid claims regarding strong and weak ties, they often use different methods to measure tie strength. That is, the conceptualizations of weak and strong ties are often not the same across different bodies of research. Many studies make strong arguments concerning the effects of strong and weak ties, with respect to each author's definition, but they are often based on different predetermined indicators. There is an abundance [Page 869]of research that studies and applies the strength of ties, but few that directly address concerns regarding tie strength indicators or how they are interconnected with each other and are often vague in exactly what measurement was being used or how it was obtained. Those studies that are specific to a particular component are not always compatible with the different social aspects in a tie and are difficult to generalize outside the study.

Altering tie strength indicators will result in different values, and several indicators can give misleading information, depending on the study. For example, frequency of contact will overvalue neighbors and coworkers and undervalue close family members who live far away. Similarly, duration of relationship can overvalue extended family members. These flaws can affect how research concerning tie strength is conducted.

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