[Paper Review] The Strength of Varying Tie Strength

Jeroen Bruggeman|arXiv (Cornell University)|Dec 24, 2012

Economic Growth and Productivity23 references3 citations

TL;DR

This paper integrates Granovetter's 'strength of weak ties' and Aral & Van Alstyne's 'high bandwidth' thesis by proposing that actors benefit most when they vary tie strength according to information complexity: weak ties suffice for simple information at low cost, while complex or rapidly changing information demands strong, high-bandwidth ties. Using U.S. patent data (1975–1999), the study finds that optimal information access arises not from uniform weak or strong ties, but from strategic variation in tie strength based on information value and cognitive constraints.

ABSTRACT

``The Strength of Weak Ties" argument (Granovetter 1973) says that the most valuable information is best collected through bridging ties with other social circles than one's own, and that those ties tend to be weak. Aral and Van Alstyne (2011) added that to access complex information, actors need strong ties (``high bandwidth") instead. These insights I integrate and generalize by pointing at actors' benefits and costs. Weak ties are well-suited for relatively simple information at low costs, whereas for complex information, the best outcomes are expected for those actors who vary their bandwidths along with the value of information accessed. To support my claim I use all patents in the USA (two million) over the period 1975---1999.

Motivation & Objective

• To reconcile conflicting theories on weak ties (Granovetter) and high-bandwidth strong ties (Aral & Van Alstyne) by integrating benefits and costs of different tie strengths.
• To investigate whether actors achieve optimal information access by varying tie strength in response to the complexity and value of information, rather than relying uniformly on weak or strong ties.
• To test the hypothesis that network diversity and bandwidth should be strategically adjusted based on information type, given cognitive and institutional constraints.
• To analyze real-world data from U.S. patents (1975–1999) to empirically assess how tie strength variation affects information acquisition and innovation outcomes.
• To develop and apply a refined measure of brokerage—between-two-ness—that accounts for competition and structural holes in information flow.

Proposed method

• Uses a dataset of 2 million U.S. patents from 1975 to 1999 to analyze information flow and innovation outcomes.
• Applies a modified measure of brokerage called 'between-two-ness' (Eq. 4), which quantifies structural holes between a focal actor’s contacts, weighted by competition from other brokers.
• The between-two-ness measure (C_B2(i)) is computed as the sum over all pairs of contacts j and l: ∑(g_jil / g_j.l), where g_jil = 1 if a structural hole exists between j and l, and g_j.l counts the number of competitors accessing that hole.
• Empirically models how tie strength (weak vs. strong) correlates with information complexity and innovation value, distinguishing between simple and complex information types.
• Incorporates cognitive and institutional constraints by modeling trade-offs between exploration (via weak ties) and exploitation (via strong ties) in information acquisition.
• Uses network analysis to identify when direct contact with sources is essential for timely, reliable information, avoiding second-hand brokerage and path-dependent distortion.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 How does the value of information vary across different types of network ties, and what determines optimal tie strength for accessing it?
• RQ2 To what extent does strategic variation in tie strength—shifting between weak and strong ties—improve information access compared to relying on uniform weak or strong ties?
• RQ3 In what ways do structural holes and competition among brokers affect the reliability and timeliness of information flow in knowledge-intensive networks?
• RQ4 How does information complexity (simple vs. complex) influence the optimal balance between network diversity and tie bandwidth?
• RQ5 What is the role of direct contact with information sources in maintaining information novelty and reducing distortion in brokerage processes?

Key findings

• Actors achieve the best outcomes when they vary tie strength according to information complexity: weak ties are optimal for simple, low-cost information, while strong ties are essential for complex or rapidly changing information.
• The study finds that high-bandwidth strong ties are necessary for accessing complex information, supporting Aral and Van Alstyne’s 'high bandwidth' thesis, especially when information value is high.
• For simple information, weak ties provide sufficient diversity at low cost, confirming Granovetter’s original 'strength of weak ties' argument.
• Strategic variation in tie strength—shifting between weak and strong ties based on information value—maximizes information access and innovation outcomes, outperforming uniform reliance on either weak or strong ties.
• Direct contact with information sources is critical for timely and reliable information, as second-hand brokerage through intermediaries leads to delays, distortions, or missed opportunities.
• The between-two-ness measure (C_B2(i)) effectively captures brokerage value by accounting for both structural holes and competition, with higher values indicating greater potential for novel information access.