Friday, October 14, 2011

Book Review: Social Network Analysis for Startups

Book Review: Social Network Analysis for Startups by Maksim Tsvetovat and Alexander Kouznetsov: Publisher- Oreilly: ISBN- 13: 978-1449306465

One of the hot topics in business is Social Media and its effect on it. This has led to growth in Social Network Analysis.

As the name suggest book Social Network Analysis for Startup deals Social Networks’ Analysis but not for startups but for Beginners. If we take the name thing apart book is excellent introduction of Social Network Analysis in very simple language. Book not only talks theory but also give hands on practice sessions on the concepts using python (to be very precise NetworkX - http://networkx.lanl.gov).

Book consists of seven chapters. Chapter one and two focuses on Basics of Graph theory. Chapter three, four and five talk about metrics in a Social Network. Chapter six discusses how “a thing” goes viral and what the characteristics of phenomena are. Final Chapter talks about volume of data to be dealt with in Analysis of Social Networks. Appendix A is about ethics involved while doing SNA and listing of APIs and software which can help in SNA. Appendix B is about installation of software (Python and more).

Book might have discussed NetworkX more in details to help understand the library in detail. I strongly recommend reading NetworkX documentation along with book.

With all of its flaws, book is fantastic for beginners in field of SNA. This book certainly be on my bookshelf for long time.


Disclaimer: I did not get paid to review this book, and I do not stand to gain anything if you buy the book.

Further reading: Few of the competing books are Social Network Analysis: Methods and Applications (http://www.amazon.com/Social-Network-Analysis-Applications-Structural/dp/0521387078), Linked: How Everything Is Connected to Everything Else and What It Means (http://www.amazon.com/Linked-Everything-Connected-Else-Means/dp/0452284392), Networks, Crowds, and Markets: Reasoning About a Highly Connected World (http://www.amazon.com/Networks-Crowds-Markets-Reasoning-Connected/dp/0521195330), Social Network Analysis: A Handbook (http://www.amazon.com/Social-Network-Analysis-John-Scott/dp/0761963391), and many more.

One can get more information about book and related topics from:

1. Book’s facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Social-Network-Analysis-for-Startups/267625796601385
2. Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Social-Network-Analysis-Startups-connections/dp/1449306462
3. Publisher -- Oreilly: http://shop.oreilly.com/product/0636920020424.do
4. Author’s Linkedin page: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mtsvetov
5. Author’s company’s site: http://www.deepmile.com/
6. Wikipedia on Social Network Analysis: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_network
7. Wikipedia on SNA tools: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_network_analysis_software
8. List of SNA tools: http://www.gmw.rug.nl/~huisman/sna/software.html
9. NeworkX: 

1 comment:

  1. As the name suggest book Social Network Analysis for Startup deals Social Networks’ Analysis but not for startups but for Beginners. If we take the name thing apart book is excellent introduction of Social Network Analysis in very simple language.

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