Dormant Ties: The Value of Reconnecting

@article{Levin2011DormantTT,
  title={Dormant Ties: The Value of Reconnecting},
  author={Daniel Z. Levin and Jorge Walter and J. Keith Murnighan},
  journal={Economics of Networks eJournal},
  year={2011}
}
The social networks literature suggests that ties must be maintained to retain value. In contrast, we show that reconnecting dormant ties---former ties, now out of touch---can be extremely useful. Our research prompted Executive MBA students to consult their dormant contacts about an important work project; outcomes compared favorably to those of their current ties. In addition, reconnecting previously strong ties led to all of the four benefits that are usually associated with either weak ties… 
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216 Citations
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