| There is significant and growing body of research suggesting that social networks are associated with an array of important outcomes and processes in organizations. From the earliest work on diffusion in networks, to the more recent research on social capital and mobility, the pivotal role of social network structures in affecting behavioral and affective phenomena in organizations is well recognized. At the same time, cross-cultural and social exchange researchers have studied the role of culture in affecting the nature and extent of interpersonal interactions. For example, in his formulation of social exchange theory, Blau (1964) argued that the social context in which exchange takes place defines the rules and guidelines governing exchange and determines the value of what is exchanged. Hofstede (1980), in his large study of work-related values, has found significant differences across cultures in the way people interact and maintain relationships with others. Despite this significant conceptual and empirical support for the effects of culture on the patterns and nature of relationships, little research has investigated how social networks develop and affect outcomes differently in different cultural contexts. While research on social networks and social capital has identified aspects of structures that are found to be associated with success in organizations, what network structure and content is most valuable is a question that still generates considerable debate and controversy. On the one hand, researchers argue that bridging otherwise disconnected parties is the main source of advantage resulting from one's ties with others. The 'structural holes,' or social network gaps that exist due to the absence of ties, are said to be the prime source of benefit to individuals in organizations. On the other hand, a number of social networks and social capital scholars have advanced strong ties and network closure as the main generators of opportunities. Previous integration attempts of these two seemingly divergent perspectives have often centered on the content of network ties. The goal of this study is to offer an alternate view as to the value of different structural arrangements in organizations by investigating the multilevel effects of culture in shaping social networks in organizations and determining the value of these networks to individuals. In doing so, this study advances the cultural context as an integrative mechanism that explains differences in the underlying processes whereby social networks determine the success of individuals in organizations. |
