CBNA | Centre for Business Network Analysis

Social network analysis provides the capacity to map and understand the patterns of linkages between subjects, whether these are individuals, projects, project teams, departments, business functions, entire organisations, or even documents, databases or regulations. A connection between two or more of these subjects indicates some sort of relationship, frequently information, affinity or advice, which influences social behaviour.

Understanding how your business is affected by the social networks within and outside it can unleash new opportunities and deliver many benefits. We can help you by providing powerful insights into the new ways people interact.

Supporting your business

Our social network analysis techniques allow a rigorous quantification of many aspects of relationships that have previously at best been sensed only intuitively. The business applications of social network analysis or economic network analysis can help in the following ways:

Social network analysis

• Improving information flows and knowledge-sharing
• Increasing innovative capacity
• Building communities of practice
• Removing blockages to career progression
• Fast-track integration in mergers
• Better corporate governance
• Improving inter-organisational relationships
• Optimising value systems
• Measuring intangible assets
• Aligning scale and scope
• Delivering shared services.

Economic network analysis

• Identification of regional innovation clusters
• Understanding structures of international trade and investment
• Input-output analysis
• Analysis of economic policy networks
• Understanding local community structures.

World-class credentials

Our team is at the forefront of their field. The world's leading social network analysis software, UCINET, was developed by Martin Everett here at University of Greenwich, in association with Steve Borgatti at Boston College and Lin Freeman at UC Irvine. Applications are being further supported by theoretical development in dynamic systems.