Relative Degree Structural Hole Centrality, CRD−SH: A New Centrality Measure in Complex Networks

Abstract

In order to assess influential nodes in complex networks, the authors propose a novel ranking method based on structural hole in combination with the degree ratio of a node and its neighbors. The proposed method is a response to the limitations of other proposed measures in this field. The structural hole gives a comprehensive attention of the information about the node topology in relation to its neighbors, whereas the degree ratio of nodes reflects its significance against the neighbors. Combination of the two aforementioned measures summarized in the structural hole leverage matrix demonstrates the importance of a node according to its position in the network structure. So a more accurate method for ranking influential nodes is established. The simulation results over different-scale networks (small networks with less than 30 nodes, medium networks with less than 150 nodes and large networks with more than 1000 nodes) suggest that the proposed method can rank important nodes more effectively and precisely in complex networks specifically in larger ones.