Networking Behaviors of Managers and Non-Managers in Public and Private Sectors

Networking is not a contemporary phenomenon, it widely affects the functioning of organizations and employees. Networking has been a topic of scientific interest since the 1930's. Research to-date tackles various issues including: work satisfaction (Kilduff and Krackhardt, 1994), positions of all actors in a network (Brass, 1995) and the network positions of managers (Burt, 2004). Related to human capital management issues the analysis in networking perspective covers: work results (Uzzi 1997, Linden et al, 2001), recruitment (Fernandez et al, 2000), employee assessments (Burt, 2005), career development (Higgins and Kram, 2001), promotions (Podolony and Baron, 1997) changes in pay (Burt, 2005, Seidel, Polzer and Stewart, 2000) and labor-market mobility (Granovetter, 1983). Forret and Dougherty (2001) defined employees' networking behaviors as "individual efforts in developing and maintaining relationships with others who have the ability to promote the work and career". It is an interesting perspective for research. The article presents the networking phenomenon as an employee attribute. The corresponding theoretical and empirical research was conducted in order to answer the primary research question: How does networking differ between managers and non-mangers in the public and private sectors? The networking behavior questionnaire, based on the Forret and Dougherty Scale (2001) was employed. The survey was conducted among 373 respondents in 2015, in Poland. The sample covered managers (N=75) and non-managers (N=238) employed by either the private (N=190) or public sector (N=148) and within a rather young age range: up to 35 years of age (N=248) and those holding at least a bachelor's degree (N=340). Statistical analyses were conducted to verify the hypotheses. It was confirmed that generally managers engaged in networking behaviors more frequently than non-mangers, despite the sector they work for -public or private. Private sector managers more often displayed behaviors such as: maintaining contacts and socializing with others than managers from the public sector. In a the case of non-mangers, sectors where they are employed in played a significant role. Non-managers from the private sector showed networking behaviors more frequently than those working for the public sector. They behaved as networkers in maintaining contacts, socializing, engaging in professional activities, and increasing internal visibility more often than non-managers of public sector entities. On the other hand non-mangers from the public sector more frequently participated in church and community. The research findings are worth considering from a scientific perspective, and by practitioners implementing public management.