Title: Rural-urban migration decision making processes: a whole and personal support network analysis

Authors: Wei Sun; Gang Zong; John Scott; Shaofeng Liu

Addresses: Economic and Management School, Beijing University of Technology, 100 Pingleyuan, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100124, China ' Economic and Management School, Beijing University of Technology, 100 Pingleyuan, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100124, China ' School of Health, University of Plymouth, 10 Portland Villas, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon PL4 8AA, UK; Plymouth Business School, University of Plymouth, 20 Portland Villas, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon PL4 8AA, UK ' School of Health, University of Plymouth, 10 Portland Villas, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon PL4 8AA, UK; Plymouth Business School, University of Plymouth, 20 Portland Villas, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon PL4 8AA, UK

Abstract: Social network analysis is one of the most important instruments to study collective decision making by assessing personal support networks in whole communities. Although cost-benefit analysis is a fundamental method for analysing decision making in human migration, the decisions made by villagers about rural-urban migration are also directly or indirectly affected by the ties of an ego (villager) connected to an alter (other villager), the whole network structure and the attribute characteristic of both ego and alter. The aim of this research, based on a case study, is to draw attention to these support network processes. An empirical study considering rural-urban migration in China has been undertaken to discuss and explore the relevance of social network analysis associated for migration decision making under the government's favourable migration policy, where cost-benefit considerations have a non-significant effect on villagers' decision process.

Keywords: social network analysis; SNA; migration decision making; rural-urban migration; centrality; favourable migration policy; China; personal support networks; collective decision making.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIDS.2013.055928

International Journal of Information and Decision Sciences, 2013 Vol.5 No.3, pp.312 - 330

Published online: 28 Feb 2014 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article