Career mobility and networking strategies in the insurance industry: insights for Black professionals

The research examines career mobility for Black professionals in the insurance industry through the dynamics of workplace networking, mentorship, and sponsorship. While these relationship-based mechanisms are often positioned as pathways to advancement, their effectiveness can vary across industry contexts and employee demographics, prompting closer examination. The dissertation research takes a mixed method approach, involving a two-part quantitative study and a qualitative study. The quantitative study is comprised of two parts: (1) an analysis of secondary data on employee demographics and race relations data; and (2) an analysis of survey responses from insurance professionals assessing networking practices, workplace network composition, and distinctions between mentors and sponsors. Findings show that Black professionals are disproportionately concentrated in administrative and individual contributor roles, with limited representation in leadership and decision-making positions. Differences in networking strategies, variations in network composition, and blurred distinctions between mentorship and sponsorship place additional pressures on Black professionals, potentially limiting their mobility. The qualitative study draws on in-depth interviews with insurance professionals to explore how social capital shapes career mobility. Social capital is conceptualized social capital as a dynamic, behaviorally enacted system that both enables and constrains career mobility, rather than as a neutral asset derived solely from network structure. For Black professionals, social capital operates under unequal conditions, requiring heighted discernment, strategic conversion, and behavioral alignment to mitigate risk and enable career mobility. This research provides practical guidance by clarifying which underlying social capital components to build, how to discern relational value, when to convert or withhold, and why strategic alignment, and not solely accumulation, is essential for sustained career mobility. Together, the studies contribute to the literature on workplace networking, social capital and advancement for Black professionals, while also yielding practical applications for organizational leaders to better design career development, mentorship, and sponsorship practices within the insurance industry.