One of them was none other than Microsoft

Before that Microsoft become world-famous, Bill Gates had a particular asset in its network: his mother, Mary, was a member of the Board of Directors of the charity United Way, which was also John Akers, a leader of IBM. At this time, Akers worked at the IBM entry on the emerging PC market. Mary Gates attracted the attention of Akers on the emergence, in the computer area, a pool of small innovative firms, potential underestimated by larger and already established competitors to which IBM is traditionally turned when it comes to partnerships. It is possible that the note of Mary Gates changed the vision of Akers on the strategy of development of the operating system of the future IBM's PC, or did not confirm the own conviction of Akers. Still, is it that after this conversation, he decided to take into account these new businesses offerings. One of them was none other than Microsoft. The suite is part of the story: Microsoft won the contract back and eventually, a few years later, dethrone its position of more powerful computer company IBM. Without the fort capital of Bill Gates, a revolutionary operating system could never see the day (Uzzi and Dunlap, 2005).

Social capital represents the relational resources that individual actors can mobilize through their networks of social relations (Bourdieu and Wacquant, 1992). Membership in a network of former school is an example of social capital, which members exclusive access to information, influence and solidarity resources attached to this network (Adler and Kowen, 2002). Networks not only allow their members to be informed of offers of employment (Boxman et al., 1991), but it is also shown that candidates with ties to the Organization hiring across their network, negotiate higher wages than the candidates do not have these links (Seidel et al., 2000) successfully. Other studies show that the organizational actors grow and use their capital to advance, or even to accelerate their careers (De Graaf and Flap, 1988).

However, networks do not only play a role in the individual performance, but also in that of the undertaking. Companies whose leaders have diversified and composed of strong relationships, external networks are associated with performance of sales, growth and higher ROI (Collins and Clark, 2003). The ability to forge links with new external partners has been identified as a criterion for success of start-ups in biotechnology. Start-up companies that succeed best not only to maintain links with the scientific community, but at the same time develop relations with other actors, for example representatives of the local tax authorities, lawyers, and bankers. They thus give a competitive advantage to identify and access to new information and resources necessary for their development (Maurer and Ebers, 2006).

If the importance of networks and social capital seems established, what are the essential ingredients and how will individuals or organisations are to create high-performance networks

The role of the intermediate agents or "brokers".

A myth persisted about networks is to think that "the quantity is quality", i.e. the network account of relations, the more efficient. However, the effectiveness of a network is less in its size and its structure. In the enterprise, the individual networks tend to organize themselves in separate and unrelated, subgroups separated by blank spaces that Burt calls "structural holes" (Burt et al., 2000). Players over these holes allow networks to communicate through them: these are agents or "brokers". Real belts, they are at a sensitive point in the Organization and can stimulate the collaboration between different disciplines or play a role of arbitrator. They are operated by members of networks to quickly circulate information or a new idea in the rest of the organization. These agents are not necessarily at the top of the hierarchy, or experts in their field, but their relationship of trust with the specialists. Studies have shown that the managers who succeed best know operate "structural holes", including intermediate agents in their network, either as agents themselves. For organizational actor, the construction of an effective network therefore through the identification of its potential brokers, i.e. those who are in contact with its activity, and that can be used to link to other circles otherwise hardly accessible.

The temptation of uniformity

Executives use disproportionately resemblance principle in the establishment of their network (Ingram and Morris, 2002). Even when the explicit goal is to meet a wide range of people, in practice, managers eventually forming links with those who are like them the most of consultants with other consultants, marketing with other marketing officials officials, etc. Of course, it is more natural to trust someone who shares the same vision of the world. Also, working with someone similarly training is often more effective, collaboration can rely on common automation. Moreover, from an emotional point of view, a homogeneous network brings a level of proximity, support, or even

comfort not necessarily matched in the case of more heterogeneous relations (Mollica et al., 2003).

However, members of a homogeneous network tend to behave in a similar manner, which can be problematic in ambiguous or unpublished, situations that require a plurality of views to take into account all the information and data of the problem, to explore the field of opportunities and optimize the response. However, the ability of individuals and organizations to resolve these ambiguous situations is undeniably a factor of performance, both individual and collective. Where an additional argument for the development of networks of quality. Individuals must, therefore, to some extent, go against their natural tendency to build their network around similar people, to not limit the creative potential and the value as a source of information.

Create diversity

This naturally leads us to another characteristic of the good networks: diversity. Linus Pauling, Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1954) and peace (1962), attributed his success not to his vast intellect, or chance, but to the diversity of its contacts, rich in fruitful exchanges of ideas, and which were the source of scientific creativity. While knowledge is more and more divided in highly specialized areas, innovation marketing and product are often the result of interdisciplinary approaches. Individual success is therefore based in part on the ability to exceed the limits of its own expertise with input from others. Individuals with highly diverse networks will be able to achieve this objective, with the addition of views more complete, more innovative and non-biased problems. To develop a diverse network, individuals can use brokers mentioned previously. The cross-cutting initiatives within the Organization, the associational activities outside work may also provide opportunities to meet people from other backgrounds, gathered not to the similarity of their profile, but on a point of common interest. Examples of activities include participation in a charity, a sports team, or an interdepartmental project in the company. These activities allow individuals to forge links with people, including through modes of interaction in break with professional and hierarchical framework usual, and also give the opportunity to stand out from the crowd.

New avenues for research

While numerous studies clearly show the link between social capital and performance, our knowledge is however limited in the process of constitution of social capital. Type career advice "approach important people" or "establish broad networks to you", if they are not common sense, are not less general. As often in the professional world, the main difficulty is not in the definition of the objective, but the details of its implementation and the ability to take shape. Also, above traditional councils raise important issues, including:

How organizational stakeholders develop practice their network They opt for a horizontal or vertical approach In other words they are looking for at the outset diversity or depth They launch several tracks in parallel or sequentially work

Can you identify models of development If Yes, what are they

The authors of this article, in collaboration with Professor Charles Galunic and Roxana Barbulescu, both of Insead, focused on a group of 68 executives working in the Council, the audit and law firms, to examine how these frameworks newly promoted "managers" develop their network in the first 15 months after their promotion. In this type of business, the promotion to the position of manager is a key step that is accompanied by a significant change. The manager must now manage several projects at once, and, therefore, for each project, animating the operational team, manage interaction with the partner-Manager (superior hierarchical) which follows the General with the customer relationship, and, finally, to ensure communication with the client in the progress of the project. In this type of relational schema complex and multilateral, it is clear that the establishment of networks plays a crucial role in the success of manager. Preliminary results of this study show that few managers have an innate sense to develop networks, in the sense where rare are those who have a broad network targeting both partners-managers, clients, peers and enforcement teams. Most of the managers adopt more focused strategies, focusing on the development of relations with partners-managers, clients, with either or enforcement teams (subordinates) with a view to operational effectiveness. Moreover, the choice of a strategy seems to be correlated with other variables, such as the size of the network, the involvement of manager in the Organization and its willingness to make career in the long term, the perception of its role as manager, or his affinity for certain categories of employees. All of these elements is still being analysed and the results will help to draw conclusions on the effectiveness of different strategies of networking as well as on the management of social capital in considered to be service companies