The corporate boards networks

In this work we apply network theory to detect in a quantitative fashion some of the characters of the system composed by companies and their boards of directors. Modelling this as a bipartite graph, we can derive two networks (one for the companies and one for the directors) and apply to them the standard graph analysis instruments. The emerging picture shows an environment where the exchange of information and mutual influences, conveyed by interlocks between boards, is predominant. Such a result should be taken into account when modelling this system. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved