Social Networks in the History of Innovation and Invention

Download or read book Social Networks in the History of Innovation and Invention written by Francis C. Moon and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-11-19 with total page 206 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book integrates history of science and technology with modern social network theory. Using examples from the history of machines, as well as case studies from wireless, radio and chaos theory, the author challenges the genius model of invention. Network analysis concepts are presented to demonstrate the societal nature of invention in areas such as steam power, internal combustion engines, early aviation, air conditioning and more. Using modern measures of network theory, the author demonstrates that the social networks of invention from the 19th and early 20th centuries have similar characteristics to modern 21st C networks such as the World Wide Web. The book provides evidence that exponential growth in technical innovation is linked to the growth of historical innovation networks.