The Role of Interpersonal Networks in Women's and Men's Career Development.

Abstract

Describes an exploratory study to examine the interpersonal networks of managerial women and men. Women and men indicated all potentially supportive relationships they had both inside and outside their organizations. Data were collected from 57 women and 55 men using questionnaires. Includes also potential antecedents of such relationships (individual demographic, work environment), consequences (job satisfaction, career success, job involvement) and network characteristics (number of individuals, frequency of interactions, development functions provided). Finds that all respondents indicate having network members both inside and outside their organizations. Insiders are more numerous than outsiders. Finally hierarchical regression analyses indicate few effects of developmental functions from network members on work and career outcomes when personal and work setting characteristics are controlled.