Looking for weak ties: using a mixed methods approach to capture elusive connections

Abstract

Since Granovetter's path breaking work in the 1970s, there has been much discussion about the relevance of weak ties in finding new jobs and generally getting ahead in society. Subsequent research has found evidence to both support and challenge his original theory. However, concerns have also been expressed about the meaning of this concept. What exactly are ‘weak ties’, how are they created and what resources flow through them? In my previous work, I have distinguished between horizontal and vertical ties and the relationships and resources available within them. This paper goes further; drawing on new, mixed methods research with Polish migrants, I explore what types of social ties are useful in contexts of deskilling and finding jobs commensurate with qualifications. Interrogating the concept of ‘weak ties’, I argue that tie strength and ethnic composition are less important than relative social distance and willingness to share valuable resources. I propose that ‘strong ties' can also act as vertical bridges (or ladders), while ties which are too ‘weak’ may lack necessary trust to share latent resources. I consider the importance of a temporal perspective to explore the dynamism and life cycle of ties over time – as some lapse while others strengthen.