Here's a breakdown:
* Actors: These are the individuals or entities within the network. They could be people, organizations, websites, etc.
* Direct Ties: These are the direct connections between actors. For example, "A is friends with B" or "Company X supplies products to Company Y."
* Indirect Ties: These connections are established through a chain of direct ties. For instance, "A is friends with B, and B is friends with C," so A and C have an indirect connection.
In summary: A social network is a structured representation of how actors are connected to each other through direct and indirect ties.
Let me know if you'd like more details about social network analysis!