Career opportunities and network-based privileges in the Cosa Nostra

The paper provides an interpromotionalanalysis of Sammy (a.k.a. the Bull)Gravano's career in New York City's Gambinofamily. Biographical material as well ascomplementary data sources (courtproceedings and electronic surveillancetranscripts) are used to create Gravano'sworking network throughout his 30-yearcareer in illegal and legitimate businessventures. A social network design is usedto construct the interpromotionalsurroundings that accounted for Gravano'srise from associate to underboss throughhis ability to attain a competitive edgewithin a patron-client exchange system.Structural hole properties (personalnetwork constraint andhierarchical-constraint) shapeopportunities for a member's advancementwithin fixed, organizational workingsettings. Such promotions within anorganization, in turn, affect variousfacets of criminal entrepreneurial careers(i.e. shifts in criminal activities,increased participation in legitimateactivities, increased financial earnings,and variations in access to regulatorylethal violence).