What factors are necessary to be considered a well-connected networking community?

Question

Sociology question.

Answer 1

Depends on whether "well connected" is referring to the status of the terminal connections or if you are talking about the efficiency of the network itself.

  If status is what you are referring to, the factors necessary would relate to attracting individuals would need to be at the top level of what Nan Lin refers to as the Social Capital Hierarchy. In this case, the need for a networking community is minimal given that the higher echelon individuals already are well connected thanks to their position and the energies of lower level members towards connecting with the upper level member.  A network of these individuals would need a diversity of high level network individuals from unrelated realms.

  If well connected means efficient, you would need to encourage redundant connections between the members so that they may form a "clique", meaning that everyone in the network knows everyone else.  This is a good way to increase trust and cohesion within a community, but it is a lousy way to develop new ideas given that the inward focus displaces attention from creating outside connections. The factors needed would include shared purpose, members with similar interests and background. Shared rewards, geographic nearness. clear shared goals and isolation from outside networks would also increase the connectivity in that sort of community.