Networks Among Women and Minorities in the Military

Abstract : Networking, which provides information and support for career development and personal growth, is important for organizational members, particularly women and minorities, who face unique problems in many organizations. The present report examines several network variables: homophily (i.e., degree of similarity among network members), network size, range, strength of network ties, network density, and quality of leader-member exchange. In addition, we look at critical problems in specialty group networks of minorities, women, and the military. We then examine several innovative ways of developing networks for these speciality groups, such as education and training, peer networks, and virtual networks. Finally, we present several recommendations for establishing networks for specialty groups in the military.