The role of social ties in accelerating career progress of senior executives and directors in Poland

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to elucidate the role of social ties in facilitating the career progress of senior officers within public companies in an emerging market. Design/methodology/approach The authors followed the career track of 2,151 senior officers serving on management and supervisory boards of Polish public companies. The authors used multivariate econometric modeling to investigate the factors shaping their career progress. Findings The authors document an increasing impact of officers’ social networks on the likelihood of assuming multiple consecutive senior positions. It takes progressively less time for incumbent senior officers to find a subsequent/concomitant board position with a network of social ties from prior workplaces facilitating career progress and prior experience being negatively associated with multiple positions. Officers’ social ties at the senior level are also shown to be positively associated with total compensation and with the likelihood of cross-industry career transition in both executive and supervisory roles. Originality/value Social network appears to play a more salient role in accelerating careers of supervisory board members even though executives also benefit therefrom. Finally, the network of social ties with former or incumbent supervisory board members exercises a more pronounced positive impact on career progress than ties with former or incumbent executives.