Redefining of Weak Ties and Strong Ties-A Case Study on Social Network of TMT in Four Companies

Using multiple cases research method,the social networks of 24 TMTs from four machinery manufacturing companies were explored to redefine and differentiate the weak ties and strong ties among TMTs' social networks.The research result shows:there are five dimensions to differentiate the strength of TMT's ties:the frequency of interaction,the amount of time,the emotional intimacy,the degree of reciprocity and the physical investments;four combinations of types of TMT's strong ties and weak ties are existing:strong working-strong personal ties,strong working-weak personal ties,weak working-strong personal ties,and weak working-weak personal ties.