Power and Control in Complex Networks: A Taxonomy and Critical Review

This paper reviews the main network analysis methodologies used to measure structural power, understood as the ability of actors to shape outcomes through their position and influence within a network. These approaches have been widely applied to the study of corporate control, global value chains, financial systems, and technology supply networks. Despite substantial methodological advances, the literature remains fragmented, with different measures often capturing distinct dimensions of structural power without a common conceptual framework. To address this gap, the paper develops a taxonomy that classifies existing methodologies by the dominant mechanism they use to conceptualize and measure power. Six methodological families are identified: centrality-based approaches, game-theoretic models, concentration measures, flow-based methods, optimization frameworks, and hybrid approaches. By clarifying the assumptions, analytical focus, and limitations of each family, the taxonomy provides a coherent framework for comparing alternative measures of structural power and understanding the dimensions of influence they capture. The paper concludes by outlining future research directions to refine hybrid models linking decision-making and network flows.