THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN MENTORSHIP AND TEAM SPORTS IN SHAPING A WOMAN'S CAREER SUCCESS
Creators: name: Starzyk, Dr. Ryan A.
Publisher: name: figshare
Year: 2022
Subjects: Women's studies (incl. girls' studies)

description: This study aims to provide insights into models of female career success using the Bourdieusian theory of capital. Capital is any mechanism, device, or condition used to generate wealth, as in the classic definition of capitalism—the use of a means of production to generate revenue. Capital does not have to be tangible assets; it can be intangible as well (Bourdieu, 1986). Bourdieu stated the forms of capital as economic, social, and cultural (Bourdieu, 1986). Economic capital is a good that directly produces cash revenue; usually, it is considered an infrastructure and means of production. Social capital is social standing that enables one to advance in society and form potentially useful connections. Cultural capital relates to one’s membership in a group—or of the group itself—in what makes that group distinctive (Bourdieu, 1986). Bourdieu’s focus was on the social aspects of capital and how it is used to form relationships. We choose to focus on economic capital in this study. <br> An innovative aspect of Bourdieu’s work was that unlike classical economists and social scientists, he regarded the three types of capital—economic, social, and cultural—as interchangeable in that any one of them could be used to generate the other two. Furthermore, he observed, certain types of capital fall into two or more of those categories simultaneously (Bourdieu, 1986). It should be noted that some researchers have disagreed, stating that economic capital can be more easily and efficiently converted into cultural, social, and symbolic capital than vice versa (Chudzikowski &amp; Mayrhofer, 2010). Bourdieu focused on how social capital can be converted into power and wealth which equates to economic capital. <br> Social capital, according to Bourdieu, exists in three forms—embodied, objectified, and institutionalized (Bourdieu, 1986). Embodied social capital is that which is inherent in the individual, such as the ability to speak a language or familiarity with a social environment (such as having “street smarts”). Objectified social capital refers to tangible assets, the value of which is conferred by society more than their intrinsic value might suggest; examples are works of art or designer clothing. Institutionalized social capital refers to that conferred by institutions, such as a professional license or a college diploma (Bourdieu, 1986). The concept of symbolic capital also comes into play, in that any form of social capital can have more symbolic than the actual value. It can also have potential rather than present value—for instance; a person could learn a foreign language as a way of acquiring future social capital. <br> The Bourdieusian theory of economic capital states that capital forms the foundations of one’s social life and determines one’s place in the social order. Bourdieu’s philosophy was heavily influenced by Karl Marx, who stated his theory of capital and production in his book <em>Das Kapital</em>. However, Bourdieu extended it beyond the strictly economic realm. He stated, much as Marx had in terms of economic capital, that the more capital one owned, the more powerful one’s position in society would be. Bourdieu also adapted Marx’s idea of class struggle to include how individuals compete with one another for social dominance and position. Additionally, Bourdieu introduced the concepts of <em>habitus</em> and <em>field</em>. Habitus refers to the life skills one possesses because of one’s environment including, upbringing, disposition, and temperament. Field refers to the metaphorical arena in which individuals choose to exercise their habitus in the acquisition of social capital. As the latter term might suggest, Bourdieu likened society to a playing field, wherein one’s inherent and acquired skills (habitus) matter, but so does where one chooses to use them (field) (Bourdieu, 1986). For example, one might have the ability to negotiate and bargain to get what one wants, and that would be particularly useful in business, but that would be useless if one got into a fistfight (an inappropriate field). To provide another example using a sports metaphor, one might have the ability to hit a golf ball 300 yards (habitus) and might, therefore, choose to make one’s living on the golf tournament circuit (field).