This is the first study to measure the size and costs of informal networking, quizzing the premise that informal networks benefit individuals, households and entrepreneurs. On the basis of survey data from the Western Balkans (WB) and empirical analysis, we establish that informal networking, or use of personal contacts for getting things done, has a regular occurrence in the region and its economic cost is substantial. In the structure of networking costs, the costs of invested time dominate over money. Respondents who perceive networking as important and beneficial tend to invest more time and money to maintain their networks. Higher costs are associated with larger networks, which are predominantly built on strong ties. The informal networking costs are also higher for those with better education and income, and in particular for entrepreneurs. Consequently, individuals bear the high costs of informal networking not only for social and culturally determined reasons, but to a large extent for instrumental purposes. Our data suggest that both sociability and instrumentality drive informal networking, which makes it an outcome of both informal constraints (taboos, customs, traditions, and codes of conduct) and inefficient formal rules (constitutions, laws, property rights).

这是衡量非正式网络规模和成本的第一项研究，它质疑了非正式网络使个人，家庭和企业家受益的前提。根据来自西巴尔干（WB）的调查数据和经验分析，我们确定非正式网络或使用个人联系来完成工作在该地区经常发生，其经济成本很高。在网络成本的结构中，投入时间的成本胜过金钱。认为网络很重要和有益的受访者倾向于投入更多的时间和金钱来维护他们的网络。较高的成本与较大的网络相关，后者主要建立在牢固的联系上。受过良好教育和收入的人们，尤其是企业家，非正式的网络成本也更高。因此，个人不仅出于社会和文化原因，而且在很大程度上出于工具目的，承担着非正式网络的高昂费用。我们的数据表明，社交性和工具性都驱动非正式网络，这是非正式限制（禁忌，习俗，传统和行为守则）和低效的正式规则（宪法，法律，财产权）的结果。