Social Networks Analysis for Interlocking Corporate Directorships

Project Overview

Like Hong Kong, Singapore is a country with scarce natural resources that many companies are fighting for. As the Government holds the key to many resources such as land and many sensitive information, the success of a business can be greatly affected depending on whether it gains access to these information. Hence, this project aims to tackle the issue by analyzing board-of-directors (BOD) information through networks analytics to investigate the possible existence and extent of conflicts of interests between public and private bodies in Singapore. Using the same information, our team will also attempt to determine the relationships between each sector by analyzing the pattern of interlocking directorates among the various sectors in Singapore.

Project Motivation

Aside from its business friendly environment, Singapore’s sound and transparent government has also been an an important factor in attracting investments. Ever since the AIM scandal in 2012, there has been increased interest in the way the Singaporean Government is running the country. Hence, this project will provide a base for further research and debate. In addition, this project will assist future investors in making better business decisions such as finding sponsors in sectors who are more sympathetic to their business.

Project Objective

As the existence of interlocking directorates between public and private entities in the same sector, our team will produce a visualization of the relationships between public and private companies by correlating BOD data between companies. In addition, organizations will be also be able to understand which public or private companies are the most influential ones in their sector by observing the amount of connecting linkages. Organizations might also be able to observe the interdependence among the various sectors by observing the interlocking directorates between sectors.