Asymmetric disassembly and robustness in declining networks.

ABSTRACT: Mechanisms that enable declining networks to avert structural collapse and performance degradation are not well understood. This knowledge gap reflects a shortage of data on declining networks and an emphasis on models of network growth. Analyzing >700,000 transactions between firms in the New York garment industry over 19 years, we tracked this network's decline and measured how its topology and global performance evolved. We find that favoring asymmetric (disassortative) links is key to preserving the topology and functionality of the declining network. Based on our findings, we tested a model of network decline that combines an asymmetric disassembly process for contraction with a preferential attachment process for regrowth. Our simulation results indicate that the model can explain ro

SUBMITTER: Saavedra S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2575443 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature