Elite Corporate Networks and Access to Infrastructure in the U.S. Data Center Industry

Presenter: Hasna Isabella Dahdah Rodriguez

Faculty Sponsor: Kevin L. Young

School: UMass Amherst

Research Area: Business & Economics

Session: Poster Session 1, 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM, Auditorium, A68

ABSTRACT

This thesis investigates whether elite corporate networks shape access to land and state-supported resources in the U.S. data center industry. Data centers rely heavily on zoning approvals, infrastructure, and public incentives, yet little research has examined whether firms embedded in elite networks gain advantages in securing these resources. Drawing on theories of embeddedness, corporate interlocks, and political economy, this study constructs a novel firm-level dataset combining data center ownership, public subsidy records, and corporate board networks. Using network analysis and regression models, it tests whether more network-embedded firms own more data centers and are more likely to receive public incentives, controlling for firm size and industry characteristics. This research extends classic theories of corporate power to the physical infrastructure of the digital economy.