The Structural Configuration of Social Capital: An Analysis of Professional-client Networks

Abstract

Professionals employed in knowledge-intensive firms rely on their social capital to deliver value in their professional services to clients. There have been limited comprehensive studies on social capital for professionals, and so this paper proposes a framework for examining the network structural configurations of professionals' social capital derived from relationships with their clients. Our aim is to develop a more robust framework for theoretical and practical advancement of our understanding of how structural variations in social capital facilitate the development and maintenance of professional-client relationships. By analysing the different network structures of social capital in the context of professional-client networks, this study endeavours to identify and compare the ways that professionals initiate and maintain business with client organisations. Several propositions are made for conducting empirical research on social capital within professional and client networks.