**3. The order of ties**

The distinction between direct (or first-order) and indirect ties considers two possible structures of a simple network (**Figure 4**) related to the question of governance and performance efficacy. In the network in **Figure 4b**, which contains the same number of elements as **Figure 4a**, indirect ties are limited to the second order (second-order links). However, in a complex network, the number of indirect ties could increase to a hyperbolic order.

Research conducted by the author evidenced that, in networks, the number of first-order ties changes according to the increase of components in a linear way and can be related to their intensity, represented in business organizations by the company turnover (**Figure 5**) [23]*.*

#### **Figure 5.**

The two curves reveal that most of the intensity of ties, represented in business organizations by the turnover company (*y* curve), is concentrated on a limited number of business-to-business (B2B) relationships.

In terms of the network, the concrete dynamics of relationships derived from human behavior demonstrate that most of the ties are related to desultory relationships, whereas only a restricted number of links are connected to the highest intensity of relationships [24]. These trends, empirically detected in a sample of Italian small and medium enterprises (SMEs), were confirmed by other researches on supply chains and network management [25].

Particularly, the trend of B2B is recognized as strictly related to the customer and supplier selection process. This novelty, together the inadequacies of the current studies on the topic, orient the future direction of research on supply networks [26, 27].

Similar trends were detected on links connected to social networks in which Granovetter introduced the concept of strong and weak ties with particular attention to economic and organizational links and, in a wider sense, to the social system [28]. Weak ties in social systems are defined as most influential links not reinforced by mutual friendships. In contrast, strong ties are supported by direct, emotional links derived from the custom of relationships.

In the curves, in **Figure 5**, regarding the frequency of B2B ties, the distinction between the two categories is illustrated. Furthermore, the extension of the examined strength of the links to the structures of the technical networks is reasonable when they are applied to a great range of individuals, organizations, and urban structures [29].

Accordingly, in the research on their behavior, the analysis of link strength is applied with particular attention regarding the analysis of the link intensity according to the distribution of first-order ties [30].

*Network Analysis in the Information Systems Management: Implications for a Transdisciplinary… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.109298*
