174 CLEARING THE HURDLES: WOMEN BUILDING HIGH-GROWTH BUSINESSES
and influence, although this operating ground rule is not necessarily
explicitly stated.
Benefits of Networks
Networks offer numerous benefits. If they continue to function over a
long period of time, they usually engender a strong sense of belonging
and become an important forum for exchange of many different kinds
of “favors.” Individual members use them to facilitate exchange of very
tangible resources (materials or physical resources), but they also ben-
efit from the sharing of more expressive resources (friendship) with
their network contacts.
9
Networks often provide social support, access
to information, referrals for employees and consultants, and introduc-
tions to resource providers—including ...