Classic Comparison
About Structural Holes
Ronald Burt's Structural Holes theory (1992) reveals that your competitive advantage in social networks comes not from how many people you know, but from how non-redundant those contacts are. When your contacts span disconnected clusters, you sit on "structural holes" and gain two key benefits: information benefits (earlier access to diverse information) and control benefits (brokerage advantage in connecting groups).
Network Structure Over Size
The same number of contacts can produce vastly different effective sizes. Four contacts with 1 inter-contact tie yield effective size 3.5; four contacts fully connected yield effective size 1.0. Structure matters more than size.
Information Benefits
When you bridge disconnected groups, you are exposed to diverse information flows that no one else in your network sees. This asymmetry gives you earlier access to opportunities and novel ideas.
Control Benefits
As a broker between groups, you can control the flow of information and resources. Neither side has full visibility, giving you negotiation leverage and tertius gaudens (the third who benefits) advantages.