  We derive a master stability function (MSF) for synchronization in networks
of coupled dynamical systems with small but arbitrary parametric variations.
Analogous to the MSF for identical systems, our generalized MSF simultaneously
solves the linear stability problem for near-synchronous states (NSS) for all
possible connectivity structures. We also derive a general sufficient condition
for stable near-synchronization and show that the synchronization error scales
linearly with the magnitude of parameter variations.Our analysis underlines
significant roles played by the Laplacian eigenvectors in the study of network
synchronization of near-identical systems.
