Togetherness: An algorithmic approach to network integration

Network integration refers to a process of building links between two networks so that they dissolve into a single unified network. Togetherness measures the proximity of these two networks as they integrate; this notion is fundamental to social networks as it is relevant to important concepts such as trust, coherence and solidarity. In this paper, we study the algorithmic nature of network integration and formally introduce three notions of togetherness. We analyze the corresponding computational problems of network integration: Given two networks and a desired level of togetherness, build links between members of these networks so that the overall network meets the togetherness criterion. We analyze optimal solutions to this problem, describe several heuristics and compare their performance through experimental analysis.