Social networks: a look at the dynamics of information on the network (APL) Local Textile Productive Arrangement, from Americana – São Paulo

Abstract

It discusses the social structure in the network as a means of people´s interaction for the exchanging of information and knowledge in the information society and emphasizes that the interactions between pairs are the driving force in the interactive learning. In this framework, social relations are unlimited and the work becomes effective in the cooperation towards the flow of received and retransmitted information. It discusses the role of information in corporate networks and the format of Local Productive Arrange ment (APL), based on the geographical concentration of members of the same production chain, as the one that best allows the exploration of the typical advantages of agglomeration economies, such as the sharing of infra structure, information and manpower joint training. As the methodology of the research, it uses the Textile Network APL of Americana - São Paulo as a case study, obtaining the data by interviews with businessmen and entrepreneurs of the textile sector, emphasizing the different forms of connection among its components. As a subsidy in the data analysis, the study uses the software Ucinet, which allows the mapping of the relationships in the network, and uses the tool Netdraw to help visualizing the network by the creation of nets. It concludes by recommending new ideas to the Information Science on how information flows and influences the actions among pairs.