A network utilization perspective on the leadership advancement of minorities

Abstract

Social network researchers have shown that, compared to majority employees, structural constraints can cause minority employees to end up in network positions that limit their access to resources (i.e., social capital), and consequently, limit their access to professional opportunities. These findings, however, do not explain why structurally equivalent minority and majority employees achieve differential returns of social capital on their leadership advancement. We propose that majority and minority employees differ in the extent to which they utilize their existing network ties, termed network utilization. We theorize why and how network utilization processes—career and work utilization of network ties—can explain employees’ (i.e., actors) influence on their leadership advancement. We also explicate the process through which actors’ direct and indirect network connections (i.e., alters) contribute to such outcomes through both career-supporting utilization and work-supporting utilization with actors. We conclude by outlining the boundary conditions of network utilization theory; a theory that changes the current understanding of how existing social network ties can perpetuate the underrepresentation of minorities in leadership positions.

Publication DOI: https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2015.0399
Divisions: College of Business and Social Sciences > Aston Business School > Work & Organisational Psychology
College of Business and Social Sciences > Aston Business School
Additional Information: Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives License. © 2018 Academy of Management. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2015.0399
Publication ISSN: 1930-3807
Last Modified: 28 Mar 2024 08:15
Date Deposited: 04 Dec 2018 14:56
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Related URLs: https://journal ... 5/amr.2015.0399 (Publisher URL)
PURE Output Type: Article
Published Date: 2020-01-09
Published Online Date: 2018-10-10
Accepted Date: 2018-09-12
Authors: Khattab, Jasmien
Van Knippenberg, Daniel L (ORCID Profile 0000-0002-0269-8102)
Nederveen Pieterse, Anne
Hernandez, Morela

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