From Logistic Networks to Social Networks

1Network Typology

1.1. Introduction

The rapid deployment of physical means of transport (air, sea, road) in the post-war period, followed quickly by the emergence of information technologies (Internet, telecommunications, GPS), made it possible to set up distributed organizations, or networks, which structure the economic and social life of the modern world. In their diversity, networks are characterized first by the functions and services they provide to the various economic (companies, consumers) and social actors (citizens, administrations) involved, and second by the technical solutions implemented to perform these functions and services.

1.1.1. Network description levels

In general, we can distinguish three levels of description for a given network: functional, organizational and technological.

The functional level recalls the purpose of the network (economic, commercial, social, etc.) and the value provided by it under different contexts (citizen, consumerist, professional, associative or private use). The point of view is therefore in terms of services rendered to users, in the form of the supply of physical goods (distribution networks for water, energy, foodstuffs and capital goods), intangible services (transport networks, care) or means of communication (IT, communication, and social networks). The issues here relate to the quality and availability of the service provided, and implicitly the associated socio-economic and environmental costs and impacts.

The organizational ...