Structural Holes: The Social Structure of Competition / Edition 1

by Ronald S. Burt

Overview

Ronald Burt describes the social structural theory of competition that has developed through the last two decades. The contrast between perfect competition and monopoly is replaced with a network model of competition. The basic element in this account is the structural hole: a gap between two individuals with complementary resources or information. When the two are connected through a third individual as entrepreneur, the gap is filled, creating important advantages for the entrepreneur. Competitive advantage is a matter of access to structural holes in relation to market transactions.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780674843714
Publisher:	Harvard
Publication date:	08/11/1995
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	324
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

Ronald S. Burt is Professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

1. THE SOCIAL STRUCTURE OF COMPETITION

Opportunity and Capital

Information

Structural Holes

Control and the Tertius Gaudens

Entrepreneurs

Secondary Holes

Structural Autonomy

Summary

2. FORMALIZING THE ARGUMENT

Network Data

Redundancy

Constraint

Hole Signature

Structural Autonomy

Summary

3. TURNING A PROFIT

Product Networks and Market Profit

The Study Population

Hole Effects

Market Hole Signatures

Summary

Appendix: Weighing Alternatives

4. GETTING AHEAD

Contact Networks and Manager Achievement

The Study Population

Hole Effects

Hierarchy

Institutional Holes

Selecting a Network

Summary

Appendix A: Weighing Alternatives

Appendix B: Causal Order

5. PLAYER-STRUCTURE DUALITY

Structural Unit of Analysis

Players and Structures

Escape from Attributes

No Escape

Summary

6. COMMIT AND SURVIVE

Holes and Heterogeneity

Interface and the Commit Hypothesis

Population Ecology and the Survival Hypothesis

Summary

7. STRATEGIC EMBEDDING AND INSTITUTIONAL RESIDUE

The Other Tertius

Strategy Hypothesis

Formal Organization as Social Residue

Personality as Emotional Residue

Summary

Notes

References

Index

What People are Saying About This

Paul DiMaggio

Structural Holes is an important book that works on many levels. It is a major contribution to economic and organizational sociology that will stimulate the imaginations of students of families, international politics, and individual personality as well; a work of extraordinary sophistication that is engaging enough to assign to master students; and a development of rational models of action that combines the elegance of game theory with the realism of network analysis.
— Paul DiMaggio, Princeton University

Bernard Barber

Structural Holes makes an important contribution to clarifying the connection between macrosociological and microsociological levels of analysis... By combining sociological theory and outstanding empirical research from different interaction contexts, Burt creates a model for sociological work in general.
— Bernard Barber, Columbia University

Robert K. Merton

A sociological masterwork of structural analysis distinguished in every aspect: theoretical, methodological, empirical. Bound to be a standard-setting book for years to come.
— Robert K. Merton, Columbia University

Don Ronchi

Structural Holes is to management what the X-ray was to medicine. Ron Burt has made visible what before could only be inferred: the hidden structure of the "informal organization." Those who gain the "sight" this book offers will have acquired an unprecedented power to lead.
— Don Ronchi, organizational consultant

Editorial Reviews

Structural Holes is to management what the X-ray was to medicine. Ron Burt has made visible what before could only be inferred: the hidden structure of the ‘informal organization.’ Those who gain the ‘sight’ this book offers will have acquired an unprecedented power to lead.

Don Ronchi

A sociological masterwork of structural analysis distinguished in every aspect: theoretical, methodological, empirical. Bound to be a standard-setting book for years to come.

Robert K. Merton

Burt’s Structural Holes is a milestone in the continuing development of structural sociology. It combines sophisticated theory, advanced quantitative methods, and application to problems of competitive analysis that demonstrate the value of a sociological perspective.

John Freeman

Structural Holes is an important book that works on many levels. It is a major contribution to economic and organizational sociology that will stimulate the imaginations of students of families, international politics, and individual personality as well; a work of extraordinary sophistication that is engaging enough to assign to master students; and a development of rational models of action that combines the elegance of game theory with the realism of network analysis.

Paul DiMaggio

Structural Holes makes an important contribution to clarifying the connection between macrosociological and microsociological levels of analysis… By combining sociological theory and outstanding empirical research from different interaction contexts, Burt creates a model for sociological work in general.

Bernard Barber

The theoretical ideas in [Structural Holes] are bold, creative, and parsimonious…there is superb handling of data. Both in his theorizing and in his methodology, in all brevity, Burt displays that rare quality which C. Wright Mills termed ‘the sociological imagination.’

Acta Sociologica - Richard Swedberg

In this well-crafted and rich volume, Ronald Burt provides an integration of his previous network studies that makes a substantial contribution to research on the social structure of economic phenomena… The book succeeds on several levels.

American Journal of Sociology - Mark Shanley

Structural Holes proves that basic and applied research, micro and macro levels of analysis, and parsimonious and opulent theorizing are not mutual exclusions.

Contemporary Sociology - Barry Markovsky

A major contribution to structural sociology that will stimulate the imaginations of scholars in disciplines as diverse as sociology, economics, strategy, and marketing.

Journal of Marketing - George M. Zinkhan

Structural Holes is an important book that works on many levels. It is a major contribution to economic and organizational sociology that will stimulate the imaginations of students of families, international politics, and individual personality as well; a work of extraordinary sophistication that is engaging enough to assign to master students; and a development of rational models of action that combines the elegance of game theory with the realism of network analysis.

Paul Dimaggio

A major contribution to structural sociology that will stimulate the imaginations of scholars in disciplines as diverse as sociology, economics, strategy, and marketing.
— George M. Zinkhan

Journal of Marketing

Structural Holes proves that basic and applied research, micro and macro levels of analysis, and parsimonious and opulent theorizing are not mutual exclusions.
— Barry Markovsky

Contemporary Sociology

In this well-crafted and rich volume, Ronald Burt provides an integration of his previous network studies that makes a substantial contribution to research on the social structure of economic phenomena...The book succeeds on several levels.
— Mark Shanley

American Journal of Sociology

The theoretical ideas in [Structural Holes] are bold, creative and parsimonious... there is superb handling of data. Both in his theorizing and in his methodology, in all brevity, Burt displays that rare quality which C. Wright Mills termed 'the sociological imagination'.
— Richard Swedberg

Acta Sociologica

Read More