Description

This well-known social network dataset, collected by Bruce Kapferer in Zambia from June 1965 to August 1965, involves interactions among workers in a tailor shop as observed by Kapferer himself.

Usage

Format

Two network objects, kapferer and kapferer2. The kapferer dataset contains only the 39 individuals who were present at both data-collection time periods. However, these data only reflect data collected during the first period. The individuals' names are included as a nodal covariate called names.

Details

An interaction is defined by Kapferer as "continuous uninterrupted social activity involving the participation of at least two persons"; only transactions that were relatively frequent are recorded. All of the interactions in this particular dataset are "sociational", as opposed to "instrumental". Kapferer explains the difference (p. 164) as follows:

"I have classed as transactions which were sociational in content those where the activity was markedly convivial such as general conversation, the sharing of gossip and the enjoyment of a drink together. Examples of instrumental transactions are the lending or giving of money, assistance at times of personal crisis and help at work."

Kapferer also observed and recorded instrumental transactions, many of which are unilateral (directed) rather than reciprocal (undirected), though those transactions are not recorded here. In addition, there was a second period of data collection, from September 1965 to January 1966, but these data are also not recorded here. All data are given in Kapferer's 1972 book on pp. 176-179.

During the first time period, there were 43 individuals working in this particular tailor shop; however, the better-known dataset includes only those 39 individuals who were present during both time collection periods. (Missing are the workers named Lenard, Peter, Lazarus, and Laurent.) Thus, we give two separate network datasets here: kapferer is the well-known 39-individual dataset, whereas kapferer2 is the full 43-individual dataset.

Source

Original source: Kapferer, Bruce (1972), Strategy and Transaction in an African Factory, Manchester University Press.