The development of social capital: On managing game-players, trade-off makers and low-keys

Abstract

This paper looks at how service professionals in the audit and consulting industry manage their social capital, i.e. their networks at a critical career stage: When they become project managers. We identify three prototypes of networkers, the game-players, the trade-off makers and the low-keys. The paper characterizes each prototype and confirms the descriptive validity by demonstrating how these prototypes are correlated to other network variables. Writing a chapter on networking and dedicating it to this anniversary volume for Gilbert seems like a perfect match. When you have read the below chapter you will most certainly come to the conclusion that Gilbert Probst is part of the rare species of Master Networkers who never hesitated to make his rich social capital available to his doctoral students! © 2010 Gabler Verlag | GWV Fachverlage GmbH, Wiesbaden.