Grabowicz, Przemyslaw A., and Víctor M. Eguíluz. "Heterogeneity shapes groups growth in social online communities." Europhysics Letters 97.2 (2012): 28002.

This study investigates the influence of intrinsic heterogeneity within groups in an online community, demonstrating that this factor, combined with linear growth and variable birth rates, accounts for the wide distribution of group member numbers. This approach offers a new perspective on understanding the distribution patterns observed in complex systems such as firm sizes, city populations, and network degrees, traditionally attributed to preferential growth mechanisms.