We see “networks” everywhere, connecting nodes. In between the nodes everything flows: panta rei, not just hard tangible bits, goods and money, but also soft intangible information, knowledge and trust, changing the status quo of the nodes. Networks, in this way, have to be looked upon and 'designed' in a holistic way. Transcending the concept of a mere collection of loosely coupled nodes that strive for their own “partial rationale”.

How very much we would like to acquire the knowledge and expertise to understand the working of these vital networks. How would we be able to improve their performance to benefit the economy and the society! This would facilitate us in our common whish to to lead a good life, both as an individual person, a family and a society[1].

The insight that networks are universal, omnipresent and vital, and the fact that understanding networks will influence our existence and continuity both in a (‘hard’) economic and (‘soft’) social way, is, in the end, the heart of the matter of the Network Research Delta.

From the heart of the matter, three research lines in the Dutch Research Delta naturally come forward: 

1. Social Innovation, to understand which ict-services are beneficial to our economic and societal life and how they are adopted
2. Trans-sectoral Innovation, to understand the interaction of the sectors
3. Technical Innovation, to study the required fixed-mobile ecosystem, the converged broadband network functioning as the infrastructure part for the ict-services

If we succeed to coherently investigate these three research lines in the Network research ?elta, we might contribute to reach the heart of the matter, a true challenge!

N. Baken

December 2007

[1] Andreas Kinneging: Geografie van Goed en Kwaad, 
Spectrum 2006