title: Dynamics of ranking processes in complex systems.
abstract: The world is addicted to ranking: everything, from the reputation of scientists, journals, and universities to purchasing decisions is driven by measured or perceived differences between them. Here, we analyze empirical data capturing real time ranking in a number of systems, helping to identify the universal characteristics of ranking dynamics. We develop a continuum theory that not only predicts the stability of the ranking process, but shows that a noise-induced phase transition is at the heart of the observed differences in ranking regimes. The key parameters of the continuum theory can be explicitly measured from data, allowing us to predict and experimentally document the existence of three phases that govern ranking stability.
authors.affiliation: Center for Complex Network Research, Department of Physics, Biology and Computer Science, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Blumm
authors.forename: Gourab
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ghoshal
authors.forename: Zalán
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Forró
authors.forename: Maximilian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schich
authors.forename: Ginestra
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bianconi
authors.forename: Jean-Philippe
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Bouchaud
authors.forename: Albert-László
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Barabási
mesh_terms: D002965:Classification / Q000379:methods*; D008962:Models, Theoretical