Object Oriented Modeling Of Social Networks

The aim of this paper is to explain principles of object oriented modeling in the scope of modeling dynamic social networks. As such, the approach of object oriented modeling is advocated within the field of organizational research that focuses on networks. We provide a brief introduction into the field of social networks and present an overview of existing network modcls and methods. Subsequently wc introduce an clementmy problem field in thc social scicnces in gcncral, and in studies of organizational change and design in particular: the micro-macro link. We argue that the most appropriate way to handle this problem is the principle of methodological individualism. For social network analysis, to contribute to this theoretical perspective, it should include an individual choice mechanism and become more dynamically oriented. Subsequently, object oriented modeling is advocated as a tool to meet these requirements for social network analysis. We show that characteristics of social systems that are emphasized in the methodological individualistic approach have their direct equivalences in object oriented modeIs. The link between the micro level where actors act, and the macro level where phenomena occur as a consequence and cause of these actions, can be modelled in a straightforward way.