Life course and network advantage: peak periods, turning points, and transition ages

This chapter examines the association between network position and achievement and whether this association varies over age. Are there certain peak periods in a manager's life when network advantage is more valuable? How are those peak periods visible as transitions in the networks providing advantage? How is the achievement associated with network advantage contingent on peak periods? The chapter provides illustrative answers to these questions using data on senior managers in banking, financial services, engineering, human resources, software, and supply chain. Returns to network advantage vary with manager age. Network models of advantage do not need to be re-defined to take peak periods into account, but organization-specific norms about age and aging are a factor to bear in mind when predicting achievement in a specific organization.