Country specific characteristics matter

The analyses in the previous chapters of this book have demonstrated and analysed influences from personal networks on social interactions including travel (see Chapter 3) and a Swiss population-wide network (see Chapter 4). Besides the data collection efforts in Switzerland several similar efforts have been undertaken in different parts of the world with the motivation to investigate influences among socio-demographics, personal network characteristics, mobility biographical aspects, social network geographies and spatial patterns between social contacts. In addition to the data collection efforts in Switzerland (Chapter 2, also see Ohnmacht and Axhausen 2005; Chapter 3, also see Frei and Axhausen 2007; Chapter 4, also see Kowald and Axhausen 2012), there have been also collection efforts in Canada (Hogan et al. 2007; Carrasco et al. 2008), the Netherlands (van den Berg et al. 2009), and Chile (Carrasco and Cid-Aguayo 2012). These studies have highlighted similar observations and the relevance of different aspects of individuals’ personal networks on their activity and travel behaviour.