Ziberna - Dynamic Multilevel Blockmodeling - AS2017

University of Ljubljana
Faculty of Social Sciences
Dynamic Multilevel Blockmodeling
Ale iberna
University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Social Sciences, Slovenia
14th Applied Statistics 2017

Ribno
September 2017
Blockmodeling
o A technique for finding clusters of units that are

equivalent based on some notion of equivalence
(structural, regular, generalized), occupy

similar position in the network.
o Determining ties among these clusters
Applied statistics, Ribno, September 2017 2

Blockmodeling

Blockmodeling

Blockmodeling

Multilevel networks
o At least two one-mode networks

o (Units from) these networks are tied with two-mode
network(s)
o Example (in this presentation): Network of agents
and companies (Brailly, 2016; Brailly et al., 2016)

Multilevel network
Network of
persons
Network of
organizations
Two-mode
network

Dynamic multilevel networks
o Multilevel network measured in a at least two time

points
o The same units (at all levels) in different time

points are tied via two-mode networks
o Example (in this presentation): The previous
multilevel network measured in two time points
(2011 and 2012).

Data used
o Discop East dataset (Brailly, 2016; Brailly et
al., 2016)
o Data from a trade fair of TV-programs in Centarl and

Eastern Europe (in Budapest, Hungary) animation
segment
o Networks are measured in three time points (2010,
2011, 2012) only the last two used.

Data used
o Multilevel networks in two time points
o In each time point we have:
One-mode networks:
Network of advice among persons (agents)

Network of contracts among
organizations/companies
Two-mode network of persons membership in
organizations

Dynamic Multilevel network
2011
multilevel Networks of
network persons
Networks of
Two-mode organizations
networks is
employed
Two-mode 2012
networks multilevel
same unit network
Aim
o Find groups and ties among them in the

dynamic multilevel network,
o by taking account the whole network that

is
all one-mode networks and
all two-mode networks (ties between time points
and persons and organizations)

Possible approaches to dynamic
multilevel blockmodeling
o Partition all one-mode networks individually and
compare results
o Partition both each multilevel network using

multilevel blockmodeling (iberna, 2014) and
compare the results.
o Partition the whole dynamic multilevel network
simultaneously using the multilevel approach (treat
each level in each time point as a separate level)

Multilevel blockmodeling
Essentially classical blockmodeling, but:
o Restrictions on cluster membership
Units from different levels cannot be in the same cluster
Number of clusters is specified for each level
o Determining number of clusters harder

Number of clusters is specified for each level harder
o Weighting
Usually different parts of the network need different
weights Otherwise, some parts of the network prevail
o Size / time complexity
As several networks are combined, both number of units
and number of clusters increases generalized
blockmodeling approaches can quickly become too slow.
Multilevel network
Network of
persons
Network of
organizations
Two-mode
network

Multilevel blockmodeling
The adaptation of generalized blockmodeling approach to
multilevel networks was presented in iberna (2014) and
iberna and Lazega (2016).
o Restrictions on cluster membership implemented
o Weighting useful (but not optimal) suggestions for

determining weights
o Determining number of clusters harder up till now
decided based on separate analysis, but this is not always
appropriate.
o Size / time complexity not solved within generalized
blockmodeling. I do have created an experimental versions
of algorithms based on k-means (will be presented here)
and stochastic blockmodeling
Dynamic multilevel blockmodeling
Essentially the same as "stationary" multilevel
blockmodeling, but all problems get harder, as:
o more levels/sets of units
o harder to determine number of clusters

o added complexity to weighting
o larger networks (e. g. > 400 units in my
application) generalized blockmodeling really
not appropriate.
o spares networks problematic for some
blockmodeling approaches
Dynamic Multilevel network
2011
multilevel Networks of
network persons
Networks of
Two-mode organizations
networks is
employed
Two-mode 2012
networks multilevel
same unit network
K-means like approach
o The classical k-means approach move a unit to

the cluster to whose is the closest
o Here we do the same the block means take the

place of cluster means by variables.
o The idea has been used before in network analysis,
e. g. Brusco and Doreian 2015.
o Optimizes the same CF as homogeneity SS
approach with structural equivalence usually not
worse and 140-times faster.
Approach used here
o K-means like (multilevel) blockmodeling

algorithm (1000 random restarts)
o Solution optimized by (multilevel) sum of

squares (homogeneity) generalized
blockmodeling for structural equivalence

Separate analysis 2012
(multilevel view)

Separate analysis 2012
(multilevel view)

Multilevel analysis 2012


Benefit of multilevel?
3 cluster partition persons 2012
SEPARATE MULTILEVEL
BUYER SELLER BUYER SELLER
B1 5 0 7 0
S2 1 13 1 16
M3 36 42 34 39

SEPARATE MULTILEVEL
BUYER SELLER BUYER SELLER
B1 5 0 9 1
B3 5 2 5 0
S2 1 9 0 9
S4 1 13 1 14
M5 30 31 27 31

Dynamic view
separate multilevel analysis

Dynamic view
separate multilevel analysis

Dynamic multilevel analysis

Dynamic multilevel analysis

Benefit of dynamic multilevel?
SEPARATE MULTILEVEL DYNAMIC (3, 3, 3, 3)
BUYER SELLER BUYER SELLER BUYER SELLER
B1 5 0 7 0 9 0
S2 1 13 1 16 1 20
M3 36 42 34 39 32 35

SEPARATE MULTILEVEL DYNAMIC (5, 7, 5, 7)
BUYER SELLER BUYER BUYER SELLER SELLER
B1 5 0 9 1 11 1
B3 5 2 5 0 5 0
S2 1 9 0 9 0 12
S4 1 13 1 14 1 4
M5 30 31 27 31 25 38

Conclusions
o Blockmodeling each level/network separately is a
good exploratory technique and should always be the
first step
o Multilevel (linked) approach can improve results

o Dynamic multilevel blockmodeling is problematic
(next slide)
o Using approaches based on k-means (with weighting)
are much faster and offer similar quality, if structural
equivalence is appropriate

Conclusions
Dynamic multilevel blockmodeling is problematic
exponents problems of multilevel blockmodeling.
Main problems/challenges:
o Size of the network (k-means-like and stochastic
approaches might be a solution)
o Weighing (especially of the two-mode networks)
o Appropriate models (blocks, penalties) for spares two-
mode, especially "same time" networks.

References
o Brailly, J., 2016. Dynamics of networks in trade fairsA multilevel
relational approach to the cooperation among competitors. Journal of
Economic Geography lbw034.
o Brailly, J., Favre, G., Chatellet, J., Lazega, E., 2016. Embeddedness as a
multilevel problem: A case study in economic sociology. Social Networks
44, 319333.
o iberna, A., 2014. Blockmodeling of multilevel networks. Social Networks
39, 4661.
o iberna, A., Lazega, E., 2016. Role Sets and Division of Work at Two
Levels of Collective Agency: The Case of Blockmodeling a Multilevel
(Inter-individual and Inter-organizational) Network, in: Lazega, E., Snijders,
T.A.B. (Eds.), Multilevel Network Analysis for the Social Sciences,
Methodos Series. Springer International Publishing, pp. 173209.

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University of Ljubljana

Faculty of Social Sciences

Dynamic Multilevel Blockmodeling

14th Applied Statistics 2017

o A technique for finding clusters of units that are

(structural, regular, generalized), occupy

Applied statistics, Ribno, September 2017 2

Applied statistics, Ribno, September 2017 3

Applied statistics, Ribno, September 2017 4

Applied statistics, Ribno, September 2017 5

o At least two one-mode networks

Applied statistics, Ribno, September 2017 6

Applied statistics, Ribno, September 2017 7

o Multilevel network measured in a at least two time

o The same units (at all levels) in different time

Applied statistics, Ribno, September 2017 8

o Data from a trade fair of TV-programs in Centarl and

Applied statistics, Ribno, September 2017 9

Network of advice among persons (agents)

Applied statistics, Ribno, September 2017 10

o Find groups and ties among them in the

o by taking account the whole network that

Applied statistics, Ribno, September 2017 12

o Partition both each multilevel network using

Applied statistics, Ribno, September 2017 13

o Determining number of clusters harder

Applied statistics, Ribno, September 2017 15

o Weighting useful (but not optimal) suggestions for

o harder to determine number of clusters

o The classical k-means approach move a unit to

o Here we do the same the block means take the

o K-means like (multilevel) blockmodeling

o Solution optimized by (multilevel) sum of

Applied statistics, Ribno, September 2017 23

Applied statistics, Ribno, September 2017 24

Applied statistics, Ribno, September 2017 25

Applied statistics, Ribno, September 2017 27

Applied statistics, Ribno, September 2017 28

5 cluster partition persons 2012

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5 cluster partition persons 2012

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o Multilevel (linked) approach can improve results

Applied statistics, Ribno, September 2017 36

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