TITLE:
Characterizing and Modeling the Structure of Competition Networks
AUTHORS:
Bo Yang, Hecheng Wang
KEYWORDS:
Firm Competition, Structural Embeddedness, Complex Networks
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Service Science and Management,
Vol.4 No.1,
March
8,
2011
ABSTRACT: Not similar with the current interest on collaboration networks research, the focus in this paper is competition networks. The topology of a firm competition network has been investigated empirically and theoretically. We have found that four fundamental characteristics emerge simultaneously in the competition network, including hierarchical modularity, positive degree correlation, power-law degree distribution and self-similarity. The theoretical model we proposed can predict these structural patterns successfully. The obtained results are significant for further network analysis of the omnipresent competitive phenomena.