Brokerage and Closure: An Introduction to Social Capital (Clarendon Lectures in Management Studies)

It's no secret that I am a fan of Professor Ronald Burt's work. His book "Structural Holes: the Social Structure of Competition ", is a seminal publication. Unfortunately I cannot say the same for "Brokerage and Closure ", although I would still give it four stars. Read in sequence and in conjunction with each other they offer the knowledge management practitioner and network analyst some useful insights.Once again Burt's writing style is academic in flavour, with many examples. At times it is heavy going, but I still think well worth the effort. Burt remains interested in the structure of networks and particularly the links, or relationships, rather than node attributes. I think the focus on links rather than nodes is important. I just wish the software tools were better at showing link attributes, although I note NetMiner 3 is becoming more powerful in this area. One of the taken for granted but important assertions Burt makes is relationships amplify diversity and individual power, however in turn many diverse links enhance the power of relationships.The central theme of this book is still around brokerage between structural holes , but this time he introduces the idea of closure. For Burt closure is about reputation building. Unlike brokerage closure is typically not the direct result of efforts by an individual. Instead closure emerges from dense linkages in a network where one individual is `favoured' over others for some reason. Typically this arises because this individual employs a Tertius Iungens strategy rather than a Tertius Gaudens strategy, although Burt does not make such a clear-cut distinction.One of the paradoxes Burt highlights is the tension between brokerage and closure. Closure results in trust and a dense or tightly knitted network, but it can also result in group-think and conformity, a problem I see in some public list-serves at the moment. On the other hand brokerage opens the network to new opportunities, but ultimately is reliant on trust networks. From this I deduce that Tertius Gaudens strategies slowly evolve into Tertius Iungens networks, but here I could be wrong. It also seems to me that most organisations are optimised for closure.All in all this book was an excellent read, although I do believe "Structural Holes: the Social Structure of Competition" should be read first. I would recommend this book to any serious knowledge practitioner or network analyst. I remain convinced that understanding structural holes matter. I am also convinced understanding who is employing a Tertius Gaudens or Tertius Iungens strategy matters!Regards, Graham

This book may not make sense to people who think they already know what "networking" and "social capital" mean (and I wonder if that's behind some of the weaker reviews here?), but it's a deep dive into the quantitative study of how networks differ (principally in their degree of closure), how they generate different kinds of advantage for their members, how they transfer knowledge and trust (or don't), and where to seek out both stable and dynamic sources of social capital. The quantitative sociology in it is a challenging read for people outside the field, but it richly repays a good, slow, thoughtful read for anyone who wants to think about the benefits they get or could get from more fully appreciating their connections to others.

Very thorough and well written. Very data intensive. Of course, the downside to being so thorough and data intensive is that it's rather dry. Overall, a good solid book on the subject of professional networks.

the title pretty much says it. more people need to be aware of their privilege and place in our developed u.s. world. specifically what that means about how we contribute literally to the rape, torture, and death of people in many developing nations.

In Brokerage & Closure, Ron Burt takes up the question of what kinds of network structures generate the most valuable social capital. In any form of capital, scarce resources must be wisely allocated among competing alternatives to yield the greatest returns, and because workplace relationships are costly, we all invest in a limited set of ties. The problem addressed in this book is how people pursuing excellent performance at work should construct their social networks.Among students of social capital, two rather stark choices for optimal network structures have emerged. Advocates of network closure suggest that it is best to create ties to others who are also tied to one another, largely because trust among network actors is more likely to emerge in such structures. It is, in other words, safest to ensconce oneself in a social clique. Proponents of brokerage argue that individuals who create ties to others who are otherwise disconnected will be exposed to a richer and wider variety of sources of information and will exercise more control over information flows than will those embedded in closed networks. A reasonable case can be made for the benefits flowing from both kinds of structures, and in Brokerage and Closure, Burt lays out the full story for each. He also provides a plausible synthesis of the different mechanisms, along with a compelling account of the dangers of excessive closure.Better even than telling the stories, Burt puts the various explanations to the test in a variety workplace settings. His results generally favor brokerage, which is to say at work, those who develop a disproportionate number of ties to diverse, unconnected groups fare better on practically any outcome of interest to a corporate player (e.g., evaluations, promotions, salary). It's worth noting this is neither armchair theorizing nor ivory tower experimentation disconnected from the realities of corporate life. Much of the field work relied on in the book comes from Burt's work while serving as VP in a large defense/aerospace contractor. His findings, along with the findings he reviews from other researchers' studies, provide robust evidence of the value of brokerage.Ron Burt is a social network pioneer who has actively contributed to network theory over the past 30 years. It goes without saying that Brokerage & Closure is a must read for academics with even a passing interest in social capital. But it is also required reading for the burgeoning population of consultants working with social networks, and managers (or aspiring managers) will learn much about the inner workings of social capital. Several reviewers--myself included in a review appearing elsewhere--have noted that Brokerage & Closure may be something other than a breezy read for those who have never been exposed to network concepts and the idea of social capital. There is a great deal of information packed in here. If you're looking for the deep insights into how social capital is created and employed, this is the book, and even for those new to these ideas, it's well worth the effort. Academics looking for them will find the methodological details and other analytical intricacies buried in the elaborate footnotes; readers looking for the practical significance can stick to the text.There is a lot being written about networks and social capital right now. Too often, the result is shallow and without supporting evidence. Brokerage & Closure is rich in descriptive detail and insight, and the conclusions are well grounded. This is not light fare, but if you really want to understand how to build and act on social capital to perform your job, this is the source.

Where to start with this book? Well, let's begin with the cover. It is "Five Grotesque Heads" by Leonardo DaVinci. I'm not one to judge a book by its cover, but in this instance, I must go against the time honored maxim and note that the cover art tells all you need to know about the book: it is grotesque.