by Rodolfo Baggio – Bocconi University

Over the last years, network analytic methods have been able to provide insights into the structural and dynamic characteristics of systems and phenomena, and they are considered a natural choice when complex systems or phenomena are involved. As a result, these methods have sparked a growing interest in both the tourism and hospitality domains. This chapter will contain an introduction to the concepts, background, and methods of network analysis. After a brief introduction in which the rationale and foundations of network analysis are highlighted, the reader will be provided with a basic series of definitions of the main metrics and with the approach that needs to be followed for a good analysis. The How-To section will contain a worked example, allowing the reader to become familiar with the operative steps of conducting an analysis and interpreting the outcomes. A full research case will then be briefly described and commented on. Lastly, the chapter will conclude with a list of the most relevant and used software packages in this area of work.