scholarly journals Unequal Reach: Cyclical and Amplifying Ties Among Agricultural and Oilfield Workers in Texas

2021 ◽  
pp. 073088842110342
Author(s):  
Kathleen Griesbach
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Weak Ties ◽  
Strong Ties ◽  
Reproductive Labor ◽  
Fictive Kinship ◽  
Fictive Kin ◽  
Living Together ◽  
Structural Differences ◽  
Resources Sharing ◽  
Over Time

What kinds of ties do agricultural and oil and gas workers form in the field, and how do they use them later on? Why do they use them differently? Scholarship highlights how weak ties can link people to valuable information, while strong ties can be critical for day-to-day survival. Yet many mechanisms affect how workers form and use social networks over time and space. Drawing on 60 interviews and observations with agricultural and oilfield workers in Texas, I examine how both groups form strong ties of fictive kinship when living together in the field far from home—pooling resources, sharing reproductive labor, and using the discourse of family to describe these relationships. Then I examine how they use these ties very differently later in practice. Oilfield workers often use their fictive kin ties to move up and around the industry across space, time, and companies: amplifying ties. In contrast, agricultural workers renew the same strong ties for survival from season to season, maintaining cyclical ties. The comparison highlights how industry mobility ladders, tempos, and geographies affect how workers can use their networks in practice. While both agricultural and oilfield workers become fictive kin in situations of intense proximity, structural differences give their networks unequal reach.

Incompatible Expectations

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Luis Small
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Weak Ties ◽  
Strong Ties

This chapter suggests that the graduate students sometimes approached weak ties because they were avoiding strong ones, and that the heart of their reservations lay in the possibility of incompatible expectations—in the potential discordance between different roles that those they were close to might expect to perform. It begins by explaining that the students maintained different kinds of strong ties and confided in people with whom they had different kinds of relationships. The former can be classified by their degree of institutional mediation; the latter, by the extent of emotional reciprocity. Institutional mediation introduced additional expectations to a relationship; emotional reciprocity, when it was lacking, created the possibility of ambiguity. Both factors shaped how reluctant students were to approach those to whom they were close when they needed to discuss particular topics.

Confidants

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Luis Small
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Weak Ties ◽  
Historical Overview ◽  
Strong Ties ◽  
The Subject

This chapter reviews the literature that probed people’s decisions about whom to turn to when they need a confidant and discusses reasons for considering an alternative. It first provides a historical overview of research on the subject before analyzing how the claim that people will turn to those they are close to when they have important matters to discuss is linked to the ideas about the differences between strong and weak ties. It also cites three reasons to doubt the notion that people will turn to strong ties when seeking confidants as consistently as they say they do. The chapter concludes by explaining the rationale for studying the experiences of graduate students who were forced to make decisions about whom to talk to when they needed someone to talk to.

Weak ties matter: Social network dynamics of mobile media multiplexity and their impact on the social support and psychological well-being experienced by migrant workers

2021 ◽  
pp. 205015792110011
Author(s):  
Piper Liping Liu ◽  
Tien Ee Dominic Yeo
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Migrant Workers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Weak Ties ◽  
Mobile Media ◽  
Strong Ties ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
The Social ◽  
Media Multiplexity ◽  
Mobile Ict

This study investigates the contextual and relational characteristics that underlie people’s information and communication technology (ICT) use and the implications for their well-being. We contextualize this investigation according to migrants, because they are faced with disruptions to their personal networks in the migration process that may attenuate the availability of social support and negatively affect their mental health. Migrants tend to be proficient in using mobile ICT to connect with different social ties to fulfill their needs, which potentially makes a difference to their psychological well-being. Through a survey of 504 internal migrant workers in China, we examined the social network factors that underlie multiple mobile ICT use and the attendant influences on social support and psychological well-being. Redressing the overemphasis on the importance of strong ties in extant literature, this study highlights the salience of mobile media multiplexity (i.e., the use of multiple mobile communication channels for social interactions) in weak tie communication and the greater contribution of weak ties toward social support and psychological well-being than strong ties. Our findings suggest that mobile-mediated communicative relationships with newer and more distanced social connections outside their immediate circles enhance the well-being of migrants. We contend that media multiplexity vis-à-vis weak ties underscores the reconfiguration of migrants’ communicative relationships following the separation from original ties and facilitates rewarding interactions with new ties.

Community-based disaster communication: how does it become trustworthy?

2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 478-491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dwie Irmawaty Gultom
Keyword(s):  
Disaster Response ◽  
Information Diffusion ◽  
Weak Ties ◽  
Network Ties ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Strong Ties ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Disaster Communication ◽  
Disaster Information

Purpose – Trust in disaster communication is significant because a lack of trust will prevent the transformation of information into usable knowledge for an effective disaster response. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to investigate how the culture and network ties of an affected community can encourage trust and participation in disaster communication. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative case study of Jalin Merapi (JM) was conducted by interviewing 33 research participants in the Mt Merapi surroundings. Findings – The findings indicate that culture-embedded disaster communication plays important roles in increasing the effectiveness of disaster information and encouraging trust in the authenticity of locally based disaster information at the individual level. The findings also identify that strong ties and weak ties play different roles in disaster communication. The strong ties are more effective in facilitating information diffusion and encourage trust and community participation within the affected community. Furthermore, the weak ties are more effective in disseminating information to wider audiences, and have an indirect influence in encouraging trust by extending the offline social network owned by the affected community. Originality/value – Most literature on disaster communication focusses on the construction of disaster messages to encourage effective disaster response. Less attention has been paid to the information receivers regarding how disaster information is considered to be trustworthy by the affected community and how it can increase collective participation in community-based disaster communication.

scholarly journals THE N.A. GOLOVKINSKY’S FUNDAMENTAL FACIAL LAW — PROBLEMATICS AND NEW HORIZONS

2018 ◽  
pp. 17-23
Author(s):  
V. P. ALEKSEEV ◽  
E. O. AMON
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Process ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Lateral Displacement ◽  
World View ◽  
Scientific Work ◽  
Seismic Stratigraphy ◽  
The West ◽  
New Horizons ◽  
The Law ◽  
Over Time

Famous Russian geologist N.A. Golovkinsky published 150 years ago an important scientific work, where the phenomenon of lateral  displacement (movement) of homogeneous lithological layers  («slide» over time) was asserted. This created the most significant  prerequisites for the fundamental facial law: the layers, lying nearby,  were formed in the same sequence vertically. The law was  formulated a little later by A.A. Inostrantsev, and later  «rediscovered» by J. Wal- ter. The ideas, developed by N.A.  Golovkinsky, subsequently found the application in the study of  geological cyclicity, and currently in the booming seismic  stratigraphy. The creative improvement and continuation of  theoretical positions  contained in the Golovkinsky’s work allowed to  advance a method of facially-cyclic analysis, which has been  success- fully used in the study of many coal-bearing strata, and is  currently used for coal-free deposits of the West Siberian oil and gas  basin. Methodically, they develop an understanding of causality and  correspond to the principles of synergetic world-view. The main  content of these ideas remains relevant in the light of new realities  of cognitive process (nonlin-ear science, endovision).

scholarly journals Protest engagement: weak vs strong social ties

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 (3) ◽  
pp. 23-33
Author(s):  
Ruslana Moskotina
Keyword(s):  
Social Ties ◽  
Threshold Model ◽  
Computer Experiments ◽  
Weak Ties ◽  
Sociological Study ◽  
Strong Ties ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
Agent Based Modelling ◽  
Strength Of Weak Ties ◽  
The One

This article dwells upon the importance of finding methods and ways of studying protest behaviour that can explain its emergence. Protest behaviour is considered as the result of protest engagement. It is assumed that there are social ties between individuals, potential protesters. M. Granovetter proposes to distinguish strong ties and weak ties. Strong ties tend to form closed and cohesive groups but weak ties can be the bridges that match groups and/or individuals. The author of this article conducts a research with applying a method of agent-based modelling. Its aim is to test the Granovetter’s thesis about the strength of weak ties towards protest behaviour. In this research the linear threshold model is used. Our research with applying method of the agent-based modelling includes the computer experiments (simulations) with the social networks. There are generated five networks, three of which contain only strong ties and the rest of the networks contain only weak ties. Simulations with the networks allow us to determine the number of inactive agents that are involved in the protest, the speed of the protest engagement and the effectiveness of overcoming the resistance of inactive agents. It is found that both weak ties and strong ties can determine protest behaviour. Strong ties contribute to a quicker protest engagement. Weak ties can better overcome the resistance of inactive agents. At the same time weak ties slow down the process of the protest engagement and strong ties are generally less effective in overcoming the resistance of inactive agents. Agent-based modelling helps us to conduct the fundamental research. On the one hand we test Granovetter’s thesis about the strength of weak ties towards protest behaviour. On the other hand we cannot draw conclusions about protest behaviour in Ukraine. But we can conduct an empirical sociological study in order to test the results of our research and understand its relevance towards protest behaviour in Ukraine.

How does the strength of ties influence relationship quality in Chinese megaprojects? The mediating role of contractual flexibility

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhibin Hu ◽  
Guangdong Wu ◽  
Xianbo Zhao ◽  
Jian Zuo ◽  
Shicong Wen
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Weak Ties ◽  
Strong Ties ◽  
Process Flexibility ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Indirect Influence ◽  
Strength Of Ties

PurposeThis study aims to explore the influence of the strength of ties (strong ties and weak ties) on contractual flexibility (term flexibility and process flexibility) and relationship quality among stakeholders in a megaproject network.Design/methodology/approachThis study, via a questionnaire survey, collected 380 valid responses from megaproject professionals (including project managers, department managers and project engineers). The data were analyzed using least squares structural equation modeling.FindingsThe results show that both strong ties and weak ties have positive effects on relationship quality. The introduction of contractual flexibility can help improve relationship quality by combining the positive effects of the strength of ties. Interestingly, the indirect influence of strong ties on relationship quality is mainly due to term flexibility. However, the influence of process flexibility is not significant, while weak ties have an indirect influence through term flexibility and process flexibility.Research limitations/implicationsThis study, while helpful to megaproject management both in theory and practice, is nevertheless subject to several limitations. First, this study only considers the impact of the strength of ties on contractual flexibility and relationship quality; other factors, such as environmental uncertainty, are not explored. Second, the sample data are limited to just a few regions of China. Future research should cover other influencing factors, in order to make the model more substantial; data should also be collected from different cultural and industrial sources, thereby extending and further verifying the results.Originality/valueThis study makes three contributions to extant megaproject literature. First, this study provides a deep and nuanced understanding of the strength of ties. With the distinction between strong ties and weak ties clearly explained, this research furnishes a subtler understanding of relationship governance than has previously been achieved. Second, by precisely identifying the mechanism of how contract flexibility improves contract control and coordination functions, this research offers a complementary view of how contractual flexibility positively contributes to cooperation and relationship quality. Third, this study identifies which dimension of the strength of ties is more influential. This brings a new explanation for the previous controversy and offers some insight into the determinants of how to improve relationship quality in Chinese megaprojects.

The Impact of Project Management Methodologies on Project Success

2019 ◽  
pp. 418-437
Author(s):  
Hazem Abdulla ◽  
Mukhtar Alhashimi ◽  
Allam Mohammed Hamdan
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Project Success ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Success Rates ◽  
Gas Industry ◽  
Survey Responses ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Over Time

This study assessed the impact of project management methodologies (PMMs) on project success in the oil and gas industry in the Kingdom of Bahrain. It also explored the different project methodologies used along with their strengths and weaknesses. Quantitative approach with the support of qualitative interviews was used to achieve the objectives of this research. A total of 95 survey responses were received and 17 interviews were conducted. Projects in the oil and gas industry are more about safety than speed, and hence, the use of comprehensive methodologies and applying the relevant methodology elements are important for oil and gas projects. Furthermore, the companies in the oil and gas industry in Bahrain have to pay more attention to their project management methodologies and get it evolved and improved over time to achieve higher project success rates.

Guanxi, Three Forms or One

2021 ◽  
pp. 147-171
Author(s):  
Jack Barbalet
Keyword(s):  
Chinese Culture ◽  
Common Language ◽  
Sociological Analysis ◽  
Strong Ties ◽  
Family Ties ◽  
Kin Relations ◽  
Fictive Kinship ◽  
Latent Structures

A consensus holds that guanxi has three forms—family, friendship and acquaintance guanxi—distinguished by the strength of obligation. It is also assumed that through fictive kinship, friendship and family guanxi may merge. The chapter shows that kinship obligations and guanxi obligations are fundamentally dissimilar, thus the notion of family guanxi is redundant, and that pseudo-family ties do not provide access to kin relations but affirm the distinction between family and friendship ties. Because guanxi is cultivated by its participants, friendship guanxi and acquaintance guanxi are not distinct forms but rather different stages of guanxi formation. In considering the sources of these confusions the chapter goes on to discuss problems arising from employment of common-language terms in sociological analysis, untested assumptions concerning Chinese culture, and methodological commitments which privilege latent structures of strong ties. It is shown that the strength of guanxi ties, strategically pursued by participants, fluctuate through agentic practices.

scholarly journals Variability observed over time in methane emissions from abandoned oil and gas wells

2020 ◽  
Vol 100 ◽  
pp. 103116
Author(s):  
Stuart N. Riddick ◽  
Denise L. Mauzerall ◽  
Michael A. Celia ◽  
Mary Kang ◽  
Karl Bandilla
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Methane Emissions ◽  
Gas Wells ◽  
Oil And Gas Wells ◽  
Over Time
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