Network Diversity and Economic Development

Abstract

Network for Recovery A long-standing theory suggests that social diversity leads to economic development. By combining the United Kingdom's telephone communication records (both landline and mobile) with information on regional economic conditions, Eagle et al. (p. 1029 ) demonstrate that network diversity alone accounts for over three-quarters of the variance of a region's economic status. Although the data cannot be used to show causality, the association suggests that economic development and recovery may depend not solely on monetary stimulus but also on the development of a nation's social infrastructure.