The Wall Street Journal, in interviews with top women executives, discussed their path to the top and the importance of mentoring in getting there. The response of Michelle Coleman Mayes was typical. She stressed the importance of having many mentors at different points in one's career, and to...

Preface -- Observations and thanks -- Introduction -- The big project -- The story so far -- Mentoring works -- Network capital -- When is the price too high? -- The pipeline challenge -- The pipeliners -- HR and the pipeline -- Beyond the davies review -- Conclusion -- Appendix - Index

Two main accounts of the effect of social proximity between candidates competing for recognition and members of the evaluating audience can be extrapolated from extant literature on peer-based tournament rituals and cultural fields. Following a Bourdieusian tradition, one account—which we...