Dormant Ties: The Value Of Reconnecting

Authors:
Daniel Z. Levin;Jorge Walter;J. Keith Murnighan
Affiliations:
Management and Global Business Department, Rutgers Business School--Newark and New Brunswick, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey 07102;Department of Strategic Management and Public Policy, School of Business, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052;Department of Management and Organizations, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208
Venue:
Organization Science
Year:
2011

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Abstract

The social networks literature suggests that ties must be maintained to retain value. In contrast, we show that reconnecting dormant ties---former ties, now out of touch---can be extremely useful. Our research prompted Executive MBA students to consult their dormant contacts about an important work project; outcomes compared favorably to those of their current ties. In addition, reconnecting previously strong ties led to all of the four benefits that are usually associated with either weak ties (efficiency and novelty) or strong ties (trust and shared perspective). These findings suggest that dormant relationships---often overlooked or underutilized---can be a valuable source of knowledge and social capital.