old boy network
Noun: An informal, exclusive system of relationships among people from the same social background, school, university, or profession. This network is used to share information, provide access to opportunities, and grant favors, often to the advantage of its members and the exclusion of outsiders. It is traditionally associated with men who attended elite private schools ("old boys") and is frequently discussed in the contexts of business and politics.
The term "old boy network" describes a closed, often unspoken system of mutual support. It implies that success or advancement can depend more on personal connections and background than on merit or open competition. It is typically used critically to highlight unfair advantages and a lack of diversity.
- Getting that job had nothing to do with his qualifications; it was all about the old boy network.
- The industry is still dominated by an old boy network that makes it difficult for newcomers without the right connections to succeed.
- She criticized the political old boy network for being out of touch with modern society.
- The phrase can be used attributively (like an adjective) before another noun.
- He benefited from old-boy-network politics throughout his career.
- The concept is often contrasted with formal, transparent systems of hiring or promotion based on meritocracy.
- Old boy: A male former student of a particular school, especially a private one. This is the foundational term from which "old boy network" is derived.
- Old girl network: A newer, analogous term referring to an informal network among women, often created to counterbalance the traditional male-dominated networks.
- Professional women have developed an old girl network of their own.
- Cronyism
- Clique
- Inner circle
- The establishment (in a specific context)
- "Old boys' club"
- It's not what you know, it's who you know: This common saying encapsulates the practical effect of an old boy network.
- The old boys' club: A very similar phrase, often used interchangeably with "old boy network," to describe an exclusive group protecting its own interests.
- He was quickly accepted into the firm's old boys' club.
- an exclusive informal network linking members of a social class or profession or organization in order to provide connections and information and favors (especially in business or politics)
- professional women have developed an old boy network of their own