Dispatches from the Frontier
Musings on Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Wednesday, August 27, 2003
The Value of Weak and Strong Ties
Want To Innovate? Dump Your Friends!. From Fast Company Now
Musings on Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Wednesday, August 27, 2003
The Value of Weak and Strong Ties
Want To Innovate? Dump Your Friends!. From Fast Company Now
"The most creative entrepreneurs spend less time than average networking with business colleagues who are friends and more time networking with a diverse group that includes acquaintances and strangers", says Martin Ruef, an assistant professor of organizational behavior at Stanford's Graduate School of Business. Entrepreneurs who spend more time with a diverse network of people are three times more likely to innovate than entrepreneurs stuck within a uniform network.
Another discovery was that people tend to be more creative and innovative when they are new to an industry. "I found strong evidence to suggest that the longer entrepreneurs have been in the industry...the less innovative they are," says Ruef. "Veterans just don't come up with wacky or creative ideas that can really spark a new industry."
Does this make it official? Are we free to create an eclectic network of co-conspirators yet?...[Brewed Fresh Daily]
Valdis Krebs and I weigh in on the need for weak and strong social ties in the comments to George's post.