Who You Know: Pre-Entry Contacts and Post-Entry Social Structure Öffentlichkeit
Sterling, Adina Domonique (2011)
Published
Abstract
Abstract
Who You Know: Pre-Entry Contacts and Post-Entry Social
Structure
By Adina D. Sterling
A growing body of research suggests that disparities in workers'
networks propel them
into stratified opportunities in organizations. Workers that are
embedded in organizational
networks have greater resources and career rewards than less
socially-connected workers. Little
is known, however, about how structural differences in workers'
networks arise.
This dissertation presents and tests a theory on the origins of
structural differences in
workers' networks. The theory points to the significance of
pre-entry relationships that influence
access to networks in organizations. I argue that pre-entry
relationships are a product of an
external structure that conditions interaction opportunities
between organizational insiders and
outsiders. When workers are hired with pre-entry relationships they
form more social ties in
organizations than workers without pre-entry relationships.
After establishing the relationship between pre- and post-entry
social structure, I develop
arguments on how these structures impact mobility in organizations.
Past research indicates that
all other things equal, individuals with relationships to
organizational members are more likely to
be hired by employers. Here I suggest that pre-entry contacts also
influence career outcomes
after individuals join organizations. I examine the influence of
pre- and post-entry social
structure on post-entry mobility.
I test these predictions using data collected from graduate
students in business and law
that completed internships. I investigate the effect of pre-entry
relationships on the networks that
graduate students formed and on their acquisition of post-graduate
job offers from employers. An
important concern when testing this prediction is that pre-entry
contacts are not randomly
assigned. My context affords me the chance to observe graduate
students' networks at the
university. I use their university networks as a proxy for network
behavior in regression Models.
Additionally I use a two-stage IV technique to determine if
external structures condition the
likelihood of having pre-entry relationships that subsequently
impact post-entry networks and
career rewards. Finally I conduct semi-structured interviews to
gain qualitative insights on pre-
and post-entry social structures and careers. Quantitative and
qualitative evidence suggests that
networks and mobility outcomes are rooted in pre-entry
relationships.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Abstract
........................................................................................................................................................
iv
Acknowledgements
......................................................................................................................................
vi
Table of Contents
.......................................................................................................................................
viii
List of Figures
..............................................................................................................................................
ix
List of Tables
...............................................................................................................................................
x
Introduction
The Social Structure of Opportunity in Organizations
.................................................................................
1
Dissertation Overview
.................................................................................................................................
3
Chapter 1
Who You Know: Pre-Entry Contacts and Post-Entry Social
Structure
Structural Inequality in the Workplace
.........................................................................................................
8
Pre-Entry Contacts, Post-Entry Networks and Macro-Micro Links
...........................................................
10
Research Setting
.........................................................................................................................................
13
Sample and Research Design
......................................................................................................................
14
Results
........................................................................................................................................................
22
Robustness Checks
.....................................................................................................................................
26
Mechanisms
...............................................................................................................................................
33
Discussion
..................................................................................................................................................
37
Limitations and Future Work
.....................................................................................................................
38
Chapter 2
Social Structure and Hiring after Trial Employment
Non-Standard Work in Organizations
.........................................................................................................
45
Pre-Entry Social Structure and Trial Employment
.....................................................................................
47
The Mediating Effect of Post-Entry Social Structure
.................................................................................
49
Sample and Research Design
......................................................................................................................
51
Analyses and Results
.................................................................................................................................
53
Robustness Checks
.....................................................................................................................................
57
Discussion
...................................................................................................................................................
60
Conclusion
.................................................................................................................................................
63
References
..................................................................................................................................................
77
List of Figures
Figure 1.1 Intern Recognition of Employees in their Organization
Prior to Entry .................................... 88
Figure 1.2 Average Number of Post-Entry Ties Interns Formed
................................................................
89
Figure 1.3 Average Level of Normative Proficiency of Interns
Pre-Entry ................................................ 99
Figure 2.1 Percentage of Interns Receiving Offers
..................................................................................
106
Figure 3.1 The Number of New Post-Entry Ties Formed Over Time
..................................................... 114
List of Tables
Table 1.1 Relational Characteristics of Pre-Entry Contacts
.......................................................................
90
Table 1.2 Means, Standard Deviations, and Correlations
..........................................................................
91
Table 1.3 Comparison of Post-Entry Ties Formed for Law and Business
Student Interns ....................... 93
Table 1.4.1 Negative Binomial Regression Models of Post-entry Ties
Formed ........................................ 94
Table 1.4.2 Negative Binomial Regression Models of Post-entry Ties
Formed ........................................ 95
Table 1.5 Probit Model of Having a Pre-Entry Contact
.............................................................................
96
Table 1.6 IV-OLS Second Stage Regressions
...........................................................................................
97
Table 1.7 Bivariate Correlations for Instruments used in Two-Stage
IV Regression ................................ 98
Table 1.8 Robustness Checks of the Effect of Pre-Entry Contacts on
Post-Entry Ties ........................... 100
Table 1.9 Mediation Analysis
...................................................................................................................
101
Table 1.10 Effect of Pre-Entry Contacts on the Number of Weak and
Strong Ties ................................ 102
Table 1.11 Effect of Mentors on Post-Entry Ties Formed
.......................................................................
103
Table 1.12 Effect of Self-Monitoring on Post-Entry Ties Formed
...........................................................
104
Table 1.13 Effect of Race and Gender on Post-Entry Ties Formed
......................................................... 105
Table 2.1 Descriptive Statistics of Variables Used in Offer
Analysis ......................................................
107
Table 2.2 Mean Comparison of Job Offer Rates for Interns
.....................................................................
108
Table 2.3 Logit Models of the Effect of Pre-Entry Contacts on
Offers ....................................................
109
Table 2.4 Change in the Probability of Obtaining Job Offers with a
Pre-Entry ...................................... 110
Table 2.5 IV Estimation of the Effect of Pre-Entry Contacts on Job
Offers ............................................. 111
Table 2.6 First-stage OLS IV Model of Having Pre-Entry
Contact..........................................................
112
Table 2.7. Partial Correlations Between Offer Outcome and
Instruments ................................................
113
About this Dissertation
School | |
---|---|
Department | |
Degree | |
Submission | |
Language |
|
Research Field | |
Stichwort | |
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor | |
Committee Members |
Primary PDF
Thumbnail | Title | Date Uploaded | Actions |
---|---|---|---|
|
Who You Know: Pre-Entry Contacts and Post-Entry Social Structure () | 2018-08-28 12:44:05 -0400 |
|
Supplemental Files
Thumbnail | Title | Date Uploaded | Actions |
---|