networks are EVERYWHERE

so i'm sitting at a bar (yes, a BAR) talking to a guy about what he does because i'm online and he's on his blackberry and he felt the need to apologize for "our" rudeness being engaged with "nonactors" rather than one another (which was actually my point;). anyway, he works for an office furniture company that works with other companies to research their needs and find the most effective and lucrative (i assume) ways to sell their furniture to these companies. but they have an entire component of their company devoted to "Network Research." how do companies work? who makes the decisions? where should each component of a company be situated for the sake of entering customers?? should Customer Service be the first visible department? or Sales? they have hired PhDs to analyze their target "networks" and identify and locate their weaknesses and strengths (and I guess relate this to office furniture somehow??). it was just so random because he said so many things that related directly to our discussion last night, and to Spinuzzi's Network, reinforcing my belief that everything i read in T&T relates to my life that week;)