SOCIAL CAPITAL RESOURCES AND SOCIAL PROGRAMS: ADVANCEMENT MECHANISMS FOR DISADVANTAGED GROUPS.

This paper explores how access to social capital resources contributes to the career mobility of a small sample of middle and working class blacks. We found that the respondents had limited access to social capital resources to enhance their careers. In fact, most also received help from social programs that were specifically designed to provide opportunities to disadvantaged groups. This help, in many cases, contributed to their upward mobility. Thus, while social capital resources may offer some career assistance, our findings suggest that social programs are still needed for disadvantaged groups to get ahead. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]