Optimal Connections between High-tech Companies: a Computer Algorithm and Its Application

Identifying several problems in measuring the strongest path connecting pairs of actors in valued graphs, researchers proposed that average path value (APV) be used to indicate optimal connections between dyads. However, a lack of proper computer algorithm and programming implementation has hindered a wide-range application of the proposed APV solution. We develop a computer algorithm and fully implement it with four JAVA programs, which are available on request. The programs produce an optimal connection matrix, which is subsequently input into UCINET for further multidimensional scaling and clustering analysis. We illustrate this procedure with a data matrix containing 38 organizations in information technology. We discuss our methodological contributions to future social network studies.