Granovetter 1983 (Sociological Theory) — weak-ties claim walked back; strong ties carry relational guarantees weak ties cannot, esp. for trust under uncertainty

Claim: Granovetter (1983), "The Strength of Weak Ties: A Network Theory Revisited," walked the 1973 claim back from a strong reading to a context-dependent one. Weak ties are uniquely valuable for novel information, but they are not uniquely valuable for everything. For the maintenance of trust under uncertainty, strong ties carry relational guarantees weak ties cannot.

Source: Granovetter, M. (1983). "The Strength of Weak Ties: A Network Theory Revisited." Sociological Theory 1, 201–233. https://www.csc2.ncsu.edu/faculty/mpsingh/local/Social/f15/wrap/readings/Granovetter-revisited.pdf

Confidence: Verified.

For Candid: This is the corrective. Weak ties are great for learning about Candid; strong ties are required for hiring Candid. The marketing implication: weak-tie discovery channels (BILD events, supply-counter chatter, supplier-rep mentions) generate awareness; strong-tie referrals generate conversion. Optimizing the funnel means investing in both — and not mistaking awareness for conversion.