Dissatisfaction Dynamics in Directed Bipartite Networks of Captive User Communities

Abstract

Socio-technical systems providing essential services, like water, energy, and transportation, often create captive user segments due to limited alternatives. This can lead to user dissatisfaction and complex social dynamics. Building on a recent dynamic model, this letter extends the analysis of captive user dissatisfaction to networks of interconnected communities, using a directed bipartite leader–follower structure. We investigate the steady-state properties of the model and analyze how leader communities can mitigate or amplify dissatisfaction among their followers. A key insight is that consensus in dissatisfaction levels does not stem from network topology but from the alignment of a Dissatisfaction Index, a new metric introduced in this letter that reflects each community’s perception of service quality.