Small World Analytic Network

The `small-world phenomenon' - the principle that we are all linked by short chains of acquaintances - was inaugurated as an area of experimental study in the social sciences through the pioneering work of Stanley Milgram in the 1960's. This work was among the first to make the phenomenon quantitative, allowing people to speak of the `six degrees of separation' between any two people in the United States. Since then, a number of network models have been proposed as frameworks in which to study the problem analytically. One of the most refined of these models was formulated in the recent work of Watts and Strogatz; their framework provided compelling evidence that the small-world phenomenon is pervasive in a range of networks arising in nature and technology, and a fundamental ingredient in the evolution of the World Wide Web.

A number of significant factors - sustained economic growth, changes in government priorities, political uncertainty, HIV and crime to name a few - are rapidly altering South Africa's economic and demographic landscape. To manage and potentially benefit from these changes, South African businesses need to understand the relationships between individuals and their social environment. They then need to model the impact of these relationships on their business in the context of the wider South African consumer and commercial landscape.

Through the SWAN framework, Lightstone:

• Provides a consistent spatial and knowledge framework over which client data can be overlaid and analysed
• Enables the intelligent, issue-specific analysis of relevant information over time
• Models and predicts the likely impact (economic, social and otherwise) of a changing external environment on a client's business at a granular level
• Identifies organic and inorganic opportunities to increase revenues and reduce costs

Lightstone monitors the external environment through a series of intelligent keys, which contain knowledge about individuals, businesses, properties, development and infrastructure. With this as the framework behaviour can be modeled, predicted and measured within the context of small world theory and this forms the basis of our consulting approach.