Network economics

The explosive changes in our abilities to communicate over distances—spurred on by the evolution of communication technologies, coupled with the increased capabilities of the internet and social media—have made social networks very salient. An important reason for studying networks is to understand how networks affect behaviour. People often form relationships because they wish to be connected to other individuals for economic reasons, such as the benefits of collaboration, exchange and sharing of information.

Network economics offers a tool for the analysis of the interaction of agents who are connected via a network and whose behaviours are influenced by those around them. This unit provides an introduction to network economics with an emphasis on real-world applications, including crime, education, labour, development economics, industrial organisation, political economy, financial economics, etc.