This paper deals with an interesting and little considered aspect of networking, but one which on reflection is all too real. Whereas the positive effects of personal networking have been extensively covered, e.g. emotional support, this paper deals with individuals' more negative perceptions of professional-instrumental networking i.e. climbing the greasy pole. As the authors say,
““A survey study of lawyers in a large North American business law firm offers correlational evidence that professionals who experience feelings of dirtiness from instrumental networking, relative to those who do not, tend to engage in it less frequently and have lower job performance”. ”