Benefits Of Social Network Theory

Social network theory is common in many sections of academia, such as psychology, business management and sociology. Although it is a lesser-known theory in sociology, it is a relevant theory in analyzing the benefits of the Go International project within Copenhagen Capacity and the obstacles facing international talent in foreign countries. In short social networks theory focuses on relationships that individual actors have rather than solely focusing on the individual. Meaning that by looking at the relations an actor has with other actors, organizations, and systems it allows for a more encompassing way to analyze the behavior and activities of these actors and their interrelating systems (Pescosolido, B.A., 2011). However this paper will focus primarily on how using the theory of social networks can help analyze the experiences of skilled labor or international talent as a social group and used to identify the multi fold obstacles they face when moving to a new country.

Within the field of sociology, the idea of social networks emerged with George Simmel (as cited in Pescosolido, 2011)who stated that “Society arises from the individual and the individual arises out of association” (208). George Simmel is renown for his focus on social integration, which

Durkheim believed that these two types of interactions combined create the four kinds of social structures: anomic, fatalistic, altruistic and egoistic (as cited in Pescosolido, B.A., 2011). These social structures shape the individual that lived in them and that help analyze these structures through a type of network approach, although it was more of simplistic form of network theory it continued to be the back bone of the social network theory ( Pescosolido, B.A.,