It would be impossible to identify which was the first network that was established in humanity. The concept of individuals forming groups to achieve a common purpose is as old as it is dynamic. From medieval craftsmen's guilds to the Internet, the attributes and functions of networks appear to be diffuse.
In the business environment, the traditional networks of the "old friend" that connect executive meeting rooms with the changing rooms of the tennis courts and with the Chambers of Commerce constitute the main support of economic activity.
Neighborhoods or urban ethnic enclaves are evidence of the high degree of impact that networking has on immigrants who share information about work, rent, transportation, and a wealth of resources that are learned and recommended to others for the well-being of the community.
For young professionals, "networking" is an enthusiastic habit, generally understood as the gear that seems to kick into gear during "quick lunches" at noon, or inside pubs on Saturday nights.
Even being such a naturally pertinent fact to human nature, specialists in assistance for self-employment, training of entrepreneurs and the strengthening of micro and small businesses, wonder how the benefits of this ubiquitous phenomenon can be increased and strengthened.
Are the needs and capacities to establish networks different for each person? Is networking a natural result of meeting people with a common purpose (for example, starting a new independent activity)? Is networking a critical factor for entrepreneurs with little experience? Can you teach yourself to build and manage support networks or is it just a matter of self-study and practice? Do the advantages that networking offers deserve investments in programs for the development and strengthening of networks?
Until very recently, entrepreneurship specialists have dealt with these issues somewhat superficially, and have set about organizing or sponsoring networking activities with varying degrees of success.
In general, many ideas have been formulated on how to induce and manage networking for the self-employed, micro and small businesses but, in reality, very few offer satisfactory results. However, the power of networking attracts both consultants and entrepreneurs themselves as the "call of the siren."
Reasons to be connected
The merits of networking - regardless of the type, size or location of your undertaking - lie in the important concept of "social capital."
Social capital is built through the shared norms and values of a group of people and / or institutions that trust to grow through their reciprocal social ties. These linkages foster cooperation to achieve goals and facilitate mutually beneficial achievements over time (for example, gathering necessary information).
The establishment of networks is at the base of social capital. Participation in sports clubs, neighborhood commissions, religious communities, readers' groups, unions and a myriad of other kinds of social groupings are the basic input for building social capital. These are the places for people to meet their needs, learn, teach, exchange, recommend, help and get helped. Whatever type of organization you belong to, they are true "learning rooms" where people practice reciprocity and learn to trust each other.
The social capital thus generated, participating in various social activities, generally leads to the creation of other types of connections that enrich it; a connection with a group of people can be easily multiplied, and the ties developed in one place can be transferred to other areas of action.
The critical question on which depends how networking enriches our lives, strengthening our professional activities, is knowing how to carry out these deliberate transfers and extensions of ties effectively.
What can this constantly growing “web of links” that enriches our lives do for the development and operation of our businesses?
Theorists who study the nature of economic activity postulate that Social Capital is the nexus between human capital and physical capital; In this sense, the presence of social capital enhances the value of technical skills, knowledge and physical assets, allowing people to draw better connections between their most relevant links to use the network to which they belong in a more productive way.
