Doctoral Dissertation Research: Network Identification and Conceptualization of Business Groups

明尼苏达大学-双胞胎城市戴利娅·诺克明尼苏达大学-双胞胎城市戴利娅·诺克商业集团是一组法律上独立的公司，负责协调行动。协调行动包括关键人员、知识、资本和物资的集团内转移。商业集团是世界上大多数经济体的特征，控制着大多数国家经济的很大一部分。先前的研究将商业集团描述为阴暗、腐败和在关系网络中高度根深蒂固。然而，高度根深蒂固的商业集团在关系网络中行使其地位的机制尚不清楚。此外，调查人员对所有印度上市公司的持股网络的研究表明，企业集团占据着不同的网络职位。虽然一些业务组高度嵌套在网络中，但大多数是孤立的或边缘嵌套在网络中。嵌套性被定义为将一个演员或一群演员从网络的其余部分中分离出来需要移除的演员或纽带的数量。例如，在印度的持股网络中，初步研究表明，要将一个高度嵌套的企业集团从网络的其余部分中分离出来，至少需要取消24条纽带。相比之下，当一个或两个参与者或纽带被移除时，边缘业务集团就会从网络的其余部分分离出来。嵌套性反映了网络位置，是多个参与者随着时间的推移形成的多重联系的结果。例如，在印度的持股网络中，孤立的商业集团只有在与网络中的关键参与者形成至少24个联系时，才能转移到高度嵌套的位置。因此，嵌套性不容易受到管理者短期操纵的影响。事实上，经理人不太可能意识到他们的团队在网络中的地位。相反，对于网络中的参与者来说，嵌套性可能会表现为理所当然的一系列机会、约束和业务方式，而这些机会、约束和业务方式对于网络中的不同参与者来说是不同的。本文的研究解决了以下问题：高度嵌套的企业集团与孤立或边缘企业集团在可获得的机会和约束方面有何不同？调查员将通过对印度商业集团经理和所有者进行半结构化深度访谈收集的数据来解决研究问题。受访者将被要求讲述他们的团队如何看待和应对环境中的机会和威胁的例子。将对访谈进行分析，以揭示网络中不同职位的行动者的反应之间的主题差异和相似之处。从理论上讲，这项研究很重要，因为它让我们深入了解了在印度企业所有权网络的背景下，网络位置影响行为的机制。未来的研究可以比较嵌套性在其他大型网络中的表现。此外，多家公司同时运营是一种强大但尚未得到充分研究的现象。这项研究有助于揭示这些企业集群是如何运作和影响经济的。对于政策制定者、投资者和关注高度联系的商业集团对经济的影响的活动人士来说，这一点具有实际意义。研究结果可能会增强我们讲授和更好地了解印度经济的能力。为了获得采访机会，联合PI还与印度的大学和公司治理机构建立了联系。

SES-0833048David KnokeDalhia ManiUniversity of Minnesota-Twin CitiesSES-0833048David KnokeDalhia ManiUniversity of Minnesota-Twin CitiesA business group is a set of legally independent firms that coordinates actions. Coordinated actions include intra-group transfers of key personnel, knowledge, capital, and supplies. Business groups are characteristic of most economies in the world, and control substantial portions of most national economies. Prior research describes business groups as murky, corrupt, and highly entrenched within networks of ties. However, the mechanisms by which highly entrenched business groups' exercise their position in a network of ties are unclear. In addition, the investigator's research on the shareholding network of all publicly traded Indian firms' shows that business groups occupy diverse network positions. While some business groups are highly nested within the network, most are isolates or marginally nested within the network. Nestedness is defined as the number of actors or ties that need to be removed to split an actor or a cluster of actors from the rest of the network. For instance, in the Indian shareholding network, initial research shows that to split a highly nested business group from the rest of the network requires the removal of a minimum of 24 ties. In contrast, marginal business groups split away from the rest of the network when one or two actors or ties are removed. Nestedness reflects network position, and is the result of multiple ties formed by multiple actors over time. For instance, in the Indian shareholding network, isolate business groups can move to a highly nested position only if they form a minimum of 24 ties with key actors in the network. Hence nestedness is not susceptible to short term manipulations by managers. Indeed, managers are unlikely to be aware of their group's position in the network. Nestedness might instead manifest itself to participants in the network as taken for granted sets of opportunities, constraints, and ways of doing business that differ for different actors in the network. The dissertation research addresses the following question: How do highly nested business groups differ from isolated or marginal business groups in the opportunities and constraints available to them? The investigator will address the research question through data collected from semi-structured in-depth interviews with Indian business group managers and owners. Interviewees will be asked to relate instances of how their group perceived and responded to opportunities and threats in the environment. Interviews will be analyzed to uncover thematic differences and similarities between the responses of actors at different positions in the network. Theoretically this research is important because it gives us insights into the mechanisms by which network position influences behavior in the context of Indian firm ownership networks. Future research can then compare how nestedness manifests itself in other large networks. Also, sets of firms that operate in tandem are a powerful but understudied phenomenon. The research helps uncover how these clusters of firms operate and influence the economy. The practical importance is for policy makers, investors, and activists concerned about the influence of highly connected business groups on the economy. Research findings may enhance our ability to provide lecture on and better understand the Indian economy. To obtain interviews, the co-PI is also establishing affiliations with universities and corporate governance bodies in India.