Why LinkedIn Works: The Strength of Weak Ties

From Advertising Age: LinkedIn Skyrockets as Job Losses Mounts. The impressive rise in LinkedIn participation shows the power of social media and the cognitive shift from hunting for “jobs” to connecting with people. Good time to reread Granovetter’s “The Strength of Weak Ties” or Barabasi’s Linked: How Everything Is Connected to Everything Else and What It Means.  These should be required reading for anyone working with or interested in social media applications. (BTW, Linked is available in audio for commuters and aural learners.) The strength of weak ties was one of the seminal papers in the development of network theory to social processes. Both Granovetter’s paper, and Barabasi’s book, which takes a broader look at the development of network theory, explain why social media networks have such tremendous reach and power, and why LinkedIn is such an effective resource for career change and employment opportunities. Granovetter’s original paper was published in 1973. A 1983 version where Granovetter reviews studies tested and elaborated on his hypothesis “The Strength of Weak Ties: A Network Theory Revisited” is available on the web if you Google it.