Globalization is changing the network of international trade at all levels (world, continent, region, country) and in most sectors and industries. The old international division of labour is under replacement of a new one, but it is not clear what the the outcomes. The use of social network analysis can enhance substantially the understanding of these processes and the new structure. It allows to investigate how the topological properties of the world trade web combine with the specific attributes of countries, regions, and specific services or commodities. Knownetlab researchers are particularly expert in facing these issues through a multi-methodological approach, based on multi-variate statistics, data analysis, and social network analysis.