The use of social networks and their impact on minority leadership development

A Network Utilization Perspective on the Leadership Advancement of Minorities

Researchers have shown that limitations in minority social networks can lead to limitations in access to social capital. As a result, this may limit their professional opportunities. However, these findings do not explain why people from minority groups achieve different returns in terms of social capital during their leadership development.

The researchers of this research paper:

• Suggest that majority and minority workers differ in terms of network usage. Network utilization is the extent to which individuals use their existing network ties.
• They theorize why and how network use processes – career and work use of network ties – can explain employees’ influence on their leadership development.
• In addition, they explain the process by which employees’ direct and indirect network connections contribute to such outcomes (both career-supportive and work-supportive).

It then concludes with an outline of the preconditions of network use theory, a theory that changes the current understanding of how existing social network ties can perpetuate minorities’ underrepresentation in leadership positions.