Women’s Developmental Networks and Career Satisfaction: Developmental Functions as a Mediator

Abstract

The current research empirically examined the developmental networks of female workers and how the network configurations influence their subjective career success, with particular attention to the gender and status composition of the network along with other network characteristics. Data from 427 female workers with a college degree or higher in the Republic of Korea were analyzed using egocentric network analysis and structural equation modeling methods. The findings suggested that (a) the network characteristics of intimacy and network size showed a direct positive effect on career satisfaction, while contact frequency and network range showed a direct negative effect; (b) intimacy, network size, and developers’ status indirectly affected career satisfaction mediated by the function of role modeling, while career support and psychosocial support played no mediating role between network characteristics and career satisfaction; and (c) women benefited from relationships with higher status developers, regardless of their gender, mainly through enhanced role modeling. Based on these, practical implications and recommendations for future research were presented.