The images below are part of a test effort to use molecular
modeling graphics to represent the structure of intercorporate relations as
they are manifest in three-dimensional space. Each node depicts a
corporation and an arc between two nodes indicates a common linkage. The first
image depicts the board of director interlocks (common board members) among 30
corporations. Those with more links are considered to be more
central, as is clear in the case of Citicorp. If your web browser has
Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) capacity, then you may link to this
image and explore its 3-dimensional properties. If you would like to add a VRML
plug-in to your browser, go to the VRML Repository. It is very interesting
stuff. The second, third, and fourth images are perspectives on two
different policy networks involving the same corporations.
If you want skip the 3-dimensional depictions, then follow this link to
my NEXT PAGE
with 2-dimensional plots of similar corporate networks.
Board interlocks
(link to wrl 3-dimensional graphic, or click the image)
The graph below represents common ties greater than 4 among 30
corporations in 8 major policy associations (See Figure 3 below). If all
overlaps (or common memberships to the policy advocacy organizations) were included
in this graph, only 1 of the 30 corporations remain isolated. Depicting
the network of full ties in 3-dimensions is simply too
"jumbled." Hence the reason for graphing only those ties where
more than 4 common overlaps occur. As Figure 2 exhibits, it is pretty
clear that these corporations "hang together" as members of
organizations sharing common policy concerns.
link to pol
Now here (below) are the 8 policy planning
organizations plotted with coordinates from a correspondence analysis.
Note that all of these influential business assocations are linked together by
the executives of only 30 corporations. (also note that there are two
different committees from the National Association of Manufacturers -- NAM
-- making a total of 9 nodes, though still eight policy bodies).
And here are the same 30 corporations "tied together" in the Trade
Advisory Committees of the U.S. Trade Representative (1992). It is clear
that the executives of these corporations are able to obtain non-elected,
direct representation as advisors to the President of the U.S.
and the USTR and consequently influence the direction of U.S.
trade policy. Again, only 30 corporate executives are represented
here! Many more are involved in this process.
30tac
I hope you have enjoyed the visit. Sometime down the road, I will
manicure these images, expand the networks, and the number of corporations
involved.
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Copyright © Michael Dreiling, 2002. All rights reserved.
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