A network is any form of connection between two or more parties. This can be through sharing information or having similar interests. I am fascinated by the concept of actor network theory because it explores the structure of a network. The more components in a network, the stronger the performance. An example of this is any celebrity fan base. Most celebrity fans do not know each other although they are still a part of a very huge network which has supported the fame of the celebrity Other forms of networks include sports clubs which will have different elements for acceptance and maintenance. Elements such as skill level, class and experience among the various individuals will create a web of relationships hence a network.
Social networks for example LinkedIn were purposefully made with the aim of networking and career development. Such online networks are more popular because they are able to connect various people globally sharing similar ideas together and communication has never been easier in this era due to social media. Information is shared and debated online all over the world creating various networks. Both online and real life networks have some sort of hierarchy and it is very natural that people want to be at the top of the network or at least be acquainted with the top people in a specific network in order to get the best out of it.
I think that the concept of the actor network theory, specifically that “the more components is a network, the stronger the performance,” is profound. I think that this also applies to educational networking as well; if each enrolled student is an individual component, then the performance is stronger. However, each component does not have, to an extent, individual value, as smaller, more exclusive schools have a smaller student body, compared to larger, increasingly inclusive schools. Rather than the component holding the value and providing it to the network, I think that the network is providing a majority of value to the components, however the components can still add value to the network. Therefore, I think that in this specific instance of a network, the relationship is seen as reciprocal.
I like how you used several different examples of networks to create a better understanding of the term “network” and its prevalence in our daily lives. Like you touched on, networks can be both digital and tangible, but the similarity that both types of networks share is that they connect people through shared interests. Even LinkedIn, which hosts a variety of career oriented interests among its users, brings people together through a shared desire to create connections within career networks and make connections with others, often those with more power in their networks’ hierarchy,
I also think the actor network theory is interesting. The fact that so many celebrities are seen as one group of people when there are actors or singers who still get starstruck when they see each other. It goes to show that there’s a hierarchy in every network out there. I like that you used the example LinkedIn. It’s very interesting that your career info can be found on the web so easily.