The Power in Networks

Manuel Castells claims that we are passing from the industrial age into the information age. This change is brought about by the development of new information of microelectronics and software based communication technologies. According to Castells, power now rests in networks. He states, “Power does not reside in institutions, not even the state or large corporations. It is located in the networks that structure society.”

There are numerous networks that can be found in our society. Some networks, such as that of financial capital, are global in scale. Networks also exist within and between businesses where resources include employees, consultants, and other businesses. They are brought together to work on a particular project, then dispersed and reallocated when the task is complete. The ability of an actor in the network, whether it be a company, individual, government, or other organization is determined by the degree to which it can contribute to the goals of the network. These factors help determine the power of the network. This new environment requires skilled flexible workers. However, this leads to a process of inclusion and exclusion from the network. The people at the bottom are those who, with nothing to offer the network, are excluded.

 

I believe there is power in networks that structure our society. The more people you know, the more people you can influence, either positively or negatively. People who work at developing strong clusters of networks across a broad section of interests, age groups, demographics and cultures can often exert enormous positive or negative influence. These people in the networks that structure our society, whether it is a company, individual, government, or other organization will contribute to the power of the network.