PurposeStudies show that employability is fast becoming a significant subject when managing contemporary careers. Indeed, employee networking is a prerequisite for career success, but the literature lacks findings regarding the impact of networking on employability. Meanwhile, network organizations in the knowledge economy are gaining popularity and bringing rise to the number of knowledge workers in the labor force. The purpose of this paper is to show the impact of employee networking competence on the employability of knowledge workers, particularly in the wider context of network organizations.Design/methodology/approachIn order to verify our theoretical model, data was collected among a controlled sample of 1189 knowledge workers using a Computer Assisted Web Interview (CAWI) surveying technique. Our model was verified through a series of structural equation models (SEM).FindingsResults show positive effects of network organizations and knowledge work on the networking competence of knowledge workers. The employability of knowledge workers does not just increase as these workers perform high-quality knowledge work. In order for employability to rise, knowledge workers must also exhibit networking competence. However, our study findings show that networking competence plays only a mediating role in the employability of knowledge workers.Originality/valueThis study focuses on the employability of knowledge workers in network organizations, which is an increasingly important concept for contemporary management. The paper contributes to the literature through its furthering of network and career management theories.

Social networks are an important variable which explain career issues such as career satisfaction, success, development and employment. However, research is often conducted separately from different theoretical perspective, i.e. social capital, social network analysis or networking, such that the comparison of findings across studies is difficult. The major question posed by our research concerns how employees' networking behaviours (behavioural perspective) and the individual social capital related to work (resource-based) influence the quality of careers. The discussion draws upon a survey carried out among employees (N=373) with a usage of American and Dutch research tools adapted to Polish conditions. Explanatory factor analysis followed to appoint adequate networking behaviours. Descriptive statistical and correlation analyses were then performed between variables in order to test the formulated hypotheses. The results of the study show that networking behaviour is a good predictor of career satisfaction and prospects, while individual social capital related to work is only related to career prospects. The influence of individual social capital related to work on career prospects is weaker than the influence of networking behaviours on career prospects. Thus, the behavioural perspective provides more explanations of career issues than the resources perspective. This paper contributes to the prior literature on individual social capital, networking behaviours and career issues by explaining how two different perspectives of social network influence career satisfaction and prospects. The value of the research is the usage of independent variables representing two different theoretical perspectives to test their impact on dependent variables i.e. career satisfaction and career prospects. The paper concludes with implications for further research and provides some hints for employees and organisations focused on successful work and career.

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This paper investigates determinants of knowledge transfer in egocentric networks of knowledge recipient and knowledge provider, what is crucial to knowledge management in organisations. Knowledge transfer is assumed to depend on knowledge work, networking competence, and the subject’s profession: teacher, Information Technology (IT) professional, or physician. The paper reports result of a quantitative study among samples of mentioned professionalists. Regression models testing, including mediation and moderation, were performed. The findings indicate that knowledge transfer in the egocentric network of the knowledge recipient increases along with knowledge work, but only when it is mediated by networking competence. Analyses in each profession support a partial mediation in the case of IT professionals and teachers. Knowledge transfer in egocentric network of the knowledge provider increases along with knowledge work of the provider. In the case of physicians, knowledge transfer in the providers’ and recipients’ knowledge networks is affected neither by knowledge work nor by networking competence.

There are only a few fragmented studies available on the relationship between engagement, employability and sustainable HRM practices. This research gap justifies the investigation of a relationship between these constructs. The research findings presented in this article, to the authors' knowledge, are the first to simultaneously address Sustainable Human Resource Management, Work Engagement and Perceived Employability. The aim of this research is to identify the impact of Sustainable HRM on Work Engagement and Perceived Employability. A quantitative study was conducted among employees to test the model of the relationship between mentioned above variables. The purposive-quota sampling was chosen to survey representatives of organisations with a minimum of 10 employees. The survey was conducted on a survey panel accredited by PKJPA and ESOMAR using the CAWI platform. The results confirm a strong correlation between Sustainable HRM and Work Engagement, as well as a moderate influence of Sustainable HRM on Perceived Employability. Further research would need to delve deeper into the impact of specific Sustainable HRM practices on Work Engagement and Perceived Employability. It would be worth extending the research to include other types of commitment like organisational attachment, and to include determinants in the analysis of Perceived Employability.