linkedin network bleg
Someone out there must use LinkedIn and know how its networking tools work. If that’s you, I need your help. I’d like to use LinkedIn to show students how to analyze their social network. I know that LinkedIn has its own network mapping tool that lets you visualize your network, but I don’t know if there is a way to export the nodes so that you can do your own analysis of it. I’d really like a way to export the network in a text or excel file. Does anyone know of a way to do this?
Excellent idea Brayden. When you figure out how to do this can you please post a follow up to explain it to the rest of us who might like to do similar activities with students?
Beth Duckles
October 18, 2011 at 5:18 pm
Last I heard it wasn’t doable. That was about six months ago, so it may have changed, but I recall it being something about the data format that was the limiting factor. Sorry I’m not more help.
jimiadams
October 18, 2011 at 5:42 pm
Not for LinkedIn but facebook….http://www.touchgraph.com/facebook. Also for showing the networks of the board members of Fortune 500 companies (data is from 2004)…http://www.theyrule.net/2004/tr2.php
Todd Beer
October 18, 2011 at 6:42 pm
NodeXL is excellent. Not sure the plug for LinkedIn is available but you should explore.
http://nodexl.codeplex.com/discussions/253573
Fabrice Cavarretta
October 18, 2011 at 9:55 pm
Fabrice – I use NodeXL in class. The problem with inMaps, however, is that it doesn’t let you extract the data to play with in NodeXL. It only lets you visualize the network. Granted, this is really cool but I want to get my hands on the actual data.
brayden king
October 18, 2011 at 10:35 pm
Brayden: I sent your bleg to a friend that works at LinkedIn. Will see what he says…
teppo
October 18, 2011 at 11:06 pm
Do you mind my using this space to ask? I’ve been turning down linked in requests and not signing up for linked in because it seems like just one more scam. Is this wrong? Is there some positive reason to be in linked in? What is it?
olderwoman
October 20, 2011 at 2:05 pm
OW: I don’t use LinkedIn, but I certainly understand why my MBA students do. LinkedIn has more use for business professionals who are seeking to expand their social network among other professionals looking for business or career opportunities. The value of the network seems to be a function of the number of people who are using it for that same purpose. If you were seeking opportunities in that area, then by all means you should use it, but I personally don’t see a lot of value in LinkedIn for academics. We know our academic networks pretty well, in part because they’re smaller but also because we have other institutionalized means for spreading information about research opportunities, etc.
brayden king
October 20, 2011 at 2:26 pm
Did you send the LinkedIn folks an email requesting the download feature? One of their FAQs reads: “Among many possible improvements, we are looking at adding search and enhanced exploration features. We’d love your feedback! Please send your ideas to inmaps-bugs@linkedin.com“
Patricia Ledesma
October 26, 2011 at 5:34 pm