Although the value of social capital for organization and individual career success is widely recognized, gender as a moderator in the building
Jia WangWidely recognized as a valuable asset for creating healthy organizations (Timberlake, 2005), social capital is leveraged in the workplace for task accomplishment, career advancement, and social support (Bartol and Zhang, 2007). However, access to social capital in an organization is not always equitable (Ragins and Cotton, 1991). Literature strongly suggests that women do not have equal access to social capital because they are often excluded from the social networks most important for power acquisition and career success. Furthermore, even when women do have access to or invest time in building social networks, the return is not always desirable. This chapter examines how women form and leverage networks to gain social support for their careers. It offers implications and suggestions for organizations and professional women regarding how to create a workplace that reinforces gender equality and facilitates women' s career progress.
Understanding Networks in OrganizationsA network is a set of actors and the set of ties representing some relationship, or lack thereof, between the actors (Brass, Galaskiewicz, Greve, and Tsai, 2004). In organizational settings, a network usually involves contacts with a variety of colleagues for the purpose of mutual work benefits (Linehan and Scullion, 2008). It also depends on informal interactions involving favors, persuasion, and connections to people who already have influence 33 4