Community broker effects: evidence from Japanese research networks

초록

In real-life situations, social actors often belong to multiple subnetworks or network communities with limited overlap. By bridging implicit communities formed through social interactions, actors benefit from hybrid network positions that combine brokerage and cohesion within an extended network scope. However, its effects remain understudied. This study aims to fill this gap by defining these actors as community brokers and examining their effects on work productivity and status building. By analyzing research networks in Japan from 1991 to 2018, this study reveals that community brokers tend to demonstrate high research productivity and receive more awards. These benefits are contingent on the seniority of the researchers. The advantages of community brokers regarding productivity, particularly in producing qualified research, diminish for early career researchers, whereas the benefits related to award achievements are strengthened for this group. These findings highlight how researchers can effectively leverage their networks across a broader scope.

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