Networks and the social capital that they carry enable people to get things done, to prosper in their careers, and to feel supported. To develop an effective network, one needs to know more than how to make connections with strangers at a reception; understanding the consequences of network properties on one’s ability to obtain benefits is essential. Such understanding enables students to better assess who to connect to. The simulation described herein enables participants to experience and therefore better understand the consequences of their position within a network and to overcome potential aversion to networking by recognizing its benefits and potential for reciprocity. It has been used effectively with undergraduates, MBA students, and executive audiences.
BlauP. M. (1955). The dynamics of bureaucracy: A study of interpersonal relationships in two government agencies. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
2.
BliesznerR.RobertoK. A. (2004). Friendship across the life span: Reciprocity in individual and relationship development. In LangF. R.IngermanK. L. (Eds.), Growing together: Personal relationships across the life span (pp. 159-182). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
3.
BrassD. J. (2012). A social network perspective on organizational psychology. In KoslowskiS. (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of organizational psychology (Vol. 1, pp. 667-695). Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.
4.
BriscoeF.KelloggK. C. (2011). The initial assignment effect: Local employer practices and positive career outcomes for work-family program usersAmerican Sociological Review, 76, 291-319.
5.
BurtR. S. (1992). Structural holes : The social structure of competition. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
6.
BurtR. S. (1997). The contingent value of social capital. Administrative Science Quarterly, 42, 339-365.
7.
BurtR. S. (1998). The gender of social capital. Rationality and Society, 10(1), 5-46.
8.
BurtR. S. (2000). The network structure of social capital. Research in Organizational Behavior, 22, 345-423.
9.
BurtR. S. (2005). Brokerage and closure. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.
10.
BurtR. S.KilduffM.TasselliS. (2013). Social network analysis: Foundations and frontiers on advantage. Annual Review of Psychology, 64, 527-547.
11.
CialdiniR. B. (2001). Harnessing the science of persuasion. Harvard Business Review, 79(9), 72-79.
12.
ColemanJ. S. (1988). Social capital in the creation of human capital. American Journal of Sociology, 94, S95-S120.
13.
ColemanJ. S. (1990). Foundations of social theory. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
14.
DaltonM. (1979). Men who manage: Fusions of feelings and theory in administration. New York, NY: John Wiley.
15.
de JanaszS. C.DowdK. O.SchneiderB. Z.(2006). Interpersonal skills in organizations. Burr Ridge, IL: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.
16.
de JanaszS. C.ForretM. L. (2008). Learning the art of networking: A critical skill for enhancing social capital and career success. Journal of Management Education, 32, 629-650.
17.
de JanaszS. C.SullivanS. E.WhitingV. (2003). Mentor networks and career success: Lessons for turbulent times. Academy of Management Executive, 17(4), 78-91.
18.
DurmuşoğluS. S. (2013). Merits of task advice during new product development: Network centrality antecedents and new product outcomes of knowledge richness and knowledge quality. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 30, 487-499.
19.
FerrazziK. (2005). Never eat alone. New York, NY: Doubleday.
20.
FischerC. S. (2005). Bowling alone: What’s the score. Social networks, 27, 155-167.
21.
FombrunC. J. (1982). Strategies for network research in organizations. Academy of Management Review, 7, 280-291.
22.
ForretM. L.DoughertyT. W.(2001). Correlates of networking behavior for managerial and professional employees. Group & Organization Management, 26, 283-311.
23.
Foust-CummingsH.DinolfoS.KohlerJ. (2011). Sponsoring women to success. New York, NY: Catalyst.
24.
FriarJ. H.EddlestonK. A. (2007). Making connections for success: A networking exercise. Journal of Management Education, 31(1), 104-127.
25.
GerardJ. G. (2012). Linking in with LinkedIn®: Three exercises that enhance professional social networking and career building. Journal of Management Education, 36, 866-897.
26.
GouldnerA. W. (1960). The norm of reciprocity: A preliminary statement. American Sociological Review, 25, 161-178.
27.
GranovetterM. S. (1973). The strength of weak ties. American Journal of Sociology, 78, 1360-1380.
28.
GranovetterM. S. (1992). Problems of explanation in economic sociology. In NohriaN.EcclesR. G. (Eds.), Networks and organizations: Structure, form, and action (pp. 25-26). Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.
29.
HansenM. T. (1999). The search-transfer problem: The role of weak ties in sharing knowledge across organization subunits. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44, 82-111.
30.
HewlettS. A.PerainoK.SherbinL.SumbergK. (2010). The sponsor effect: Breaking through the glass ceiling. New York, NY: Center for Work-Life Policy.
31.
HiningsC. R.HicksonD. J.PenningsJ. M.SchneckR. E. (1974). Structural conditions of intraorganizational power. Administrative Science Quarterly, 19, 22-44.
32.
IbarraH. (1995). Race, opportunity, and diversity of social circles in managerial networks. Academy of Management Journal, 38, 673-703.
IbarraH. (2002). Network assessment exercise: Abridged MBA version 9-497-002. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School.
35.
IbarraH. (2008). Network assessment exercise: Executive version 9-497-002. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School.
36.
IbarraH.AndrewsS. B. (1993). Power, social influence, and sense making: Effects of network centrality and proximity on employee perceptions. Administrative Science Quarterly, 38, 277-303.
37.
IbarraH.CarterN. M.SilvaC. (2010). Why men still get more promotions than women. Harvard Business Review, 88(9), 80-126.
38.
KadushinC. (2004). Too much investment in social capital?Social networks, 26, 75-90.
39.
KadushinC. (2012). Understanding social networks: Theories, concepts and findings. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
40.
KanterR. M. (1977). Men and women of the corporation. New York, NY: Basic Books.
41.
KilduffM.BrassD. J. (2010). Organizational social network research: Core ideas and key debates. Academy of Management Annals, 4, 317-357.
42.
KleinbaumA. M. (2012). Organizational misfits and the origins of brokerage in intrafirm networks. Administrative Science Quarterly, 57, 407-452.
KrackhardtD. (1990). Assessing the political landscape: Structure, cognition, and power in organizations. Administrative Science Quarterly, 35, 342-369.
45.
KramK. E. (1988). Mentoring at work. Developmental relationships in organizatianal life. New York, NY: University Press of America.
46.
LeeJ.KimS. (2011). Exploring the role of social networks in affective organizational commitment: Network centrality, strength of ties, and structural holes. American Review of Public Administration, 41, 205-223.
47.
ManskiC. F. (2000). Economic analysis of social interactions. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 14, 114-136.
48.
McDonaldS. (2011). What you know or who you know? Occupation-specific work experience and job matching through social networks. Social Science Research, 40, 1664-1675.
49.
McGuireG. M. (2002). Gender, race, and the shadow structure: A study of informal networks and inequality in a work organization. Gender & Society, 16, 303-322.
50.
MeversonE. M. (1994). Human capital, social capital and compensation: The relative contribution of social contacts to managers’ incomes. Acta Sociologica, 37, 383-399.
51.
MouwT. (2006). Estimating the causal effect of social capital: A review of recent research. Annual Review of Sociology, 32, 79-102.
52.
PortesA. (1998). Social capital: Its origins and applications in modern sociology. Annual Review of Sociology, 24, 1-24.
53.
SeibertS. E.KraimerM. L.LidenR. C. (2001). A social capital theory of career success. Academy of Management Journal, 44, 219-237.
54.
SosaM. E. (2011). Where do creative interactions come from? The role of tie content and social networks. Organization Science, 22, 1-21.
55.
SparroweR. T.LidenR. C. (2005). Two routes to influence: Integrating leader-member exchange and social network perspectives. Administrative Science Quarterly, 50, 505-535.
56.
TichyN. M.TushmanM. L.FombrunC. (1979). Social network analysis for organizations. Academy of Management Review, 4, 507-519.
TrefaltS.Merrill-SandsD.KolbD. M.WilsonF.CarterS. (2011). Closing the women’s leadership gap: Who can help?Boston, MA: Center for Gender and Organizations.
59.
UzziB.DunlapS. (2005). How to build your network. Harvard Business Review, 83, 53-60.
60.
Van BurenH. J.HoodJ. N. (2011). Building student competency to develop power and influence through social capital. Journal of Management Education, 35, 648-678.
61.
Vigoda-GadotE.TalmudI. (2010). Organizational politics and job outcomes: The moderating effect of trust and social support. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 40, 2829-2861.
62.
VroomV. H. (1964). Work and motivation. New York, NY: Wiley.
63.
WassermanS.FaustK. (1994). Social network analysis: Methods and applications. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
WolffH.-G.MoserK. (2009). Effects of networking on career success: A longitudinal study. Journal of Applied Psychology, 94, 196-206.
66.
ZouX.IngramP. (2013). Bonds and boundaries: Network structure, organizational boundaries, and job performance. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 120, 98-109.
Supplementary Material
Please find the following supplemental material available below.
For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.
For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.
