The Economics of Networks: theory and empirics

textabstractWherever we are, networks are all around us. The roads that we travel form a network. The websites that we visit form an enormous information network. But, above all, we are part of a network ourselves, the network of social contacts and relations. These networks play an important role in economic life, but it is not always clear in what way. This thesis analyzes problems related to three types of networks: a network of collaborating economists, a network of job contacts, and a transport network. The thesis uses a combination of theoretical models and novel empirical techniques to show how network effects shape markets and societies