In the second half of the twentieth century, U.S. advocates for workplace equity popularized the term and concept of networking as part of a larger social capital lexicon—which also includes terms such as glass ceiling, role model, mentoring, and gatekeeper—serving to identify and address the problems barring non-dominant groups from professional success.
Mainstream business literature subsequently adopted the terms and concepts, promoting them as pathways to success for all career climbers.
Numerous business heroes of the past—such as Benjamin Franklin, Andrew Carnegie, Henry Ford, and John D. Rockefeller—exploited networks to great effect.
[2] The business networks that seemed natural and transparent to these white men were a closed book to women and minorities for much of American history.
Drawing on work from the social sciences, these outsider groups had to identify and then harness the mechanisms behind networking's power.
Groups of black salesmen met regularly to share information about Xerox's culture and strategies for navigating it most effectively.
Through confrontation and collaboration with a relatively accommodating upper management, the caucuses helped open opportunities for high-performing black employees.
Unfortunately, this loss of historical context can fuel a backlash against outsider groups who still seek to synthesize networks so they can access the same opportunities enjoyed by insiders.