National Service Information Network Structure: Central Connector and Brokerage Positions

This study described the structural properties of two national service information networks. Social network analysis was applied to survey results from two samples comprising Emirati male high school youths (N=60 Dataset 1) and Fathers (N=26 Dataset 2). Results showed that youths initially depended on Social sources but future sources expanded to include Social and Institutional sources. Youths would move from relying on kinship/friendship sources with strong ties, to non-kinship/non-friendship sources where there are weak ties since the latter could provide access to information not already known to kin and friends. The Father actor was found to be the central connector which most youths turn to for information. The Father network was more varied than the youth network with non-human and non-kinship/non-friendship Social sources selected. Also, the Father brokerage position facilitated youths' access to new information through the former's Friends, Work colleagues, Internet sites that youths otherwise would have no physical or cognitive access. These findings contributed new knowledge about national service information dissemination in the United Arab Emirates and it is recommended that the UAE military support the broker node by providing official resources about the service through government websites that specifically target parents.