Business Briefing: The Science Behind Six Degrees

Keywords: Social Networks, Six Degrees of Separation, Network Science, Small-World Problem, Connectivity
Source: Harvard Business Review
Link: Read the full article on HBR.org
Author: An interview with Duncan Watts by Gardiner Morse
Published: February 2003
Est. Read Time (Original): ~20 minutes

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The Core Idea

In this conversation, network scientist Duncan Watts discusses the science behind the "six degrees of separation" phenomenon and its broader implications for business. He explains that the principles governing small-world social networks are universal, applying to everything from the spread of ideas and fads to the failure of power grids and financial systems. The core insight is that the structure of a network is often more important in determining an outcome (like the success of Harry Potter) than the intrinsic qualities of the item spreading through it. This challenges traditional notions of cause and effect and highlights the importance of understanding the hidden, informal networks within and around our organizations.

Why It Matters for Business Today

Network science provides a powerful, counterintuitive lens for understanding why some ideas and products succeed while others fail, and how organizations can become more resilient.

• Success is Not Always Pre-Destined: The success of a product is not just about its features; it's heavily influenced by the network it spreads through. This suggests that "viral hits" are less about a single brilliant marketing push and more about how an idea cascades through a complex, interconnected system. It shifts the strategic focus from just the product to the network.

• The Power of Invisible Networks: The most critical work inside a company often gets done through informal, "invisible" networks, not the formal organizational chart. As Watts highlights with Honda, the ability to solve complex problems depends on tapping into a diverse web of relationships across the entire organization. Smart companies don't just tolerate these networks; they actively foster them.

• Rethinking Cause and Effect: Network theory suggests that leaders are often looking at the wrong things to understand why their business is succeeding or failing. An outcome may have less to do with a single decision or actor and more to do with the structure and dynamics of the market, social, or internal networks in which the company operates.

The Strategic Question for Leaders

Duncan Watts argues that critical business networks are often informal and "invisible." Beyond the formal org chart, what institutionalized procedures (like Honda's rapid, cross-functional teams) does your company use to actively foster and leverage the informal social networks that are essential for problem-solving and innovation?

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