Analysing board-director networks as small worlds: Theory and applications

In this book chapter we review and refine three important contributions on the assessment of small world characteristics for the particular context of board-director networks. Particularly, we deal with the importance of (1) network components, (2) degree distribution, and (3) reference assumptions for a proper small world interpretation of board-director networks. By discussing these network characteristics in the context of board-of-director networks, we better integrate methodological procedures with theoretical interpretations. We exemplify our methodological and theoretical suggestions with a sample of Belgian health care organizations.